An Angel in Disguise
by Yo Xi Wang
Summary: Yugi was a poor kid who was always picked on and had no friends until the day he met Yami and experienced the sweetness of true friendship. And perhaps a new feeling as well... Warning: SHOUNENAI YxY, BxR, S/J and Anzu bashing! ***COMPLETED*** 9/1/09 CH24
1. Chapter 1: Fate's Meeting

This is my first fanfic ever! Please go easy on me! But you can do whatever you want. You can even flame me too if this story sucks! I know the title is really bad! I couldn't think of anything better! It has a figurative meaning. Yami's not really an angel, but I wish he could be... (drools)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Why would I? If I did, every single person in the world would be guaranteed to know about this show! But do they? Noooo. Oh, also, my favorite character is Yami! He's veery hot... ^___^ I like Yugi too. He's my second fav.  
  
So, um, this story is about a boy named Yugi (duh!) who is weak and always gets beaten up (much like in the show's first series which was too violent to be shown in America) and has no friends. But he meets Yami and life changes for him. He learns what it is like to have a true friend. No Millennium Puzzle in this story. Yami is a separate person who has a very great resemblance to Yugi.  
  
Now, on with the story!  
  
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Yugi Mutou was a very poor boy. Not in the sense of money, but in life itself. His parents had passed away when he was very young, so he had to live with his grandfather, the owner of a game shop. He is very short for his age, being 16 and already in high school, so he is frequently beaten up by bullies. This causes everyone to think he is a weirdo. The only company he has are the toys and games he gets from his grandpa since he has never had any friends to play with.  
  
It was a typical day for him as he exited the school, trying to walk home as fast as he could, hoping to escape a beating today. Unfortunately, Ushio, the school's # 1 feared bully who was very tall and strong and unbelievably mean, spotted him.  
  
"Hey! Mutou!" he yelled gruffly, seizing him by the collar. "Where do you think you're going? Got that money with you?"  
  
"W-what money are you talking about?" Yugi stammered fearfully.  
  
"The money you owe me for being such a good bodyguard and keeping your butt safe for the past week! Now cough it up!"  
  
Yugi gulped. He had never wanted Ushio's services of being his so-called "bodyguard," but the bully had gone and taken the job anyway. Now he was asking for money-2,000 dollars, money that he could never have. "I-I don't have it, Mr. Ushio...."  
  
Ushio didn't seem the least surprised. He tsked, then replied, "Then you know the punishment, don't ya?" he dragged his fear-struck victim to the back of the school and slammed him against the wall, getting ready to use him like a punching bag. Yugi whimpered and yelped as the blows hit him hard, but the people at the school were oblivious to his cries.  
  
'Can't anyone help me?' Yugi silently pleaded as he felt the painful blows slam into his stomach. He watched through squinted eyes as his classmates passed him by without a second glance, on their way home. Nobody cared about him. Nobody paid any attention to him. Nobody.  
  
But fate seemed to finally answer his pleas after 16 long, grueling years of pain and misery. A boy was walking along the street carrying a bag of groceries, obviously not a student of Domino High School. "Eh?" he frowned as he saw Yugi being beaten up badly and hearing the little one's cries of help. Dropping his groceries, he jumped over the fence. "Hey! Leave that kid alone!"  
  
"Huh?" Ushio whirled around and saw almost an exact same image of the kid he was just punching a second ago. "What the-" he blinked rapidly as the intense ruby red eyes of the Yugi-lookalike bore into his mind. They were filled with fury. The school bully backed away clumsily, trying to shake his head clear as if he was seeing an illusion, only to be speared by the sharp edge of a window. Gritting his teeth in pain, his eyes widened as the strange boy came closer. Confused and bewildered, he had no choice but to stumble off.  
  
"Are you okay?" the boy bent down, touching Yugi's shoulder, studying the bruises that formed on his milky white skin. Yugi, slowly realizing there were no more impacts of pain, opened his eyes, and noticed the person who looked a lot like him.  
  
"Aah!" he yelped in surprise. "W-who are you? Why do you look like me?" His eyes traced over the boy's features, confirming his thoughts. Yup, the only difference he could detect was the sharp, intense eyes, extra pieces of golden blond hair amongst the red and black spiky hairdo he had, and a slighter taller and more developed body. Also, unlike his pale skin with an air of purity and innocence around it, this stranger had tanned skin and seemed to be shrouded in mystery and darkness.  
  
The boy laughed at Yugi's expression, his violet eyes wide with awe. "My name is Yami," he said. "And yours?"  
  
"I'm Yugi. Thank you for saving me," his eyes got even wider as he realized what Yami just did. "How did you get Ushio to leave me alone?" he asked, genuinely curious.  
  
"Heh, I just stared at him," Yami replied. "When you stand your ground and show you're not afraid, bullies tend to get freaked out and they stop picking on you. Don't let others push you around. By the way, you look like you had quite a beating. I'm sorry I couldn't have arrived earlier."  
  
Yugi blinked in surprised. Why did this stranger, someone he didn't even know anything about except for his name, care? And why about him when nobody else did? He continued thinking hard as Yami helped him up.  
  
"Do you want a ride home?" Yami asked. "We can use my motorcycle."  
  
"What? Really? Is it okay?" Yugi questioned in disbelief. No one had ever offered to do anything for him before.  
  
"Yeah," Yami said with a warm smile. "Come this way." He led Yugi to a parking lot near the school, picking up his fallen groceries on the way. Yugi gawked at the amazing bright red motorcycle as it sparkled in the sun. After loading the luggage, Yami tossed him a helmet.  
  
"What about you?" Yugi looked skeptical seeing that there was only one helmet.  
  
"Don't worry. I'll be fine, but you'll need something to shield your tender little face from the wind, though." Yugi blushed a little bit, feeling his face and noticing it was indeed very soft, totally unexposed to harsh weather before. The taller boy got on in a swift motion. "Here, you sit behind me," he said as he helped his mirror image.  
  
Yugi's feet ended up not even reaching the pedal, being as short as he was. He allowed them to dangle in the air nervously. It was all so new to him. He had never been on a motorcycle before, never had a ride home, and never even had anyone besides his grandpa care about him even the slightest bit. Yami's voice broke his thoughts.  
  
"Where do you live, Yugi?"  
  
"The Game Shop on Domino Avenue (A/N: I just made up the street name)," Yugi replied.  
  
"Okay, then. Hold on tight," Yami said as he started the engine. Recalling from the movies that people always held onto the driver, he slowly, timidly locked his arms around Yami's waist. Sensing his reluctance, the other boy tried to reassure him.  
  
"It's okay. Don't be afraid. I don't want you to fall off during the trip," Yugi, hearing this, tightened his grip, anticipating the ride much like he did with the ones at the amusement park. With a smile, Yami pressed the accelerator and they took off.  
  
The wind whipped Yami's hair harshly as they sped along the road, but he didn't mind. Yugi was thankful he had a helmet and that Yami was partially blocking him, but he still had to close his eyes. He never imagined the wind could be so brutal, but it was quite fun except for the loud noise the vehicle made. Yugi sighed contently, experiencing a new feeling of joy and happiness as he was driven home by his newfound friend.  
  
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So...um, there. There's chapter 1. Please r/r and tell me if you want me to make this fic into a yaoi or for Yugi and Yami to just be really close friends. I'll accept either idea because I like both of them and can't decide! And sorry if I copied someone else's idea! I truly didn't know and I've read a lot of Yu-Gi-Oh stories!  
  
REMEMBER: vote for a Yugi/Yami yaoi or not! 


	2. Chapter 2: Blueberry Milkshakes

Oh my god!! I can't believe I got so many reviews!! Thank you!!! Oh, and I also now allow anonymous reviews. Sorry I didn't realize they were being blocked before!  
  
Ahem. Now, I guess the moment of truth. I received 5 votes for non-yaoi and 14 for yaoi!! I can't believe how many yaoi-loving people are out there! Wow! So, I will respect your wishes and make this one a Yugi/Yami yaoi. But I'm really inexperienced with writing stuff like this, so please bear with me if it's weird or something! It's not too bad so kiddies can read it too if they want.  
  
And for those of you who wanted this to just be a friendship thing, I'm really REALLY sorry! Maybe I'll make another version where they'll be friends, but first I must finish this one.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters!  
  
I also realize the last chapter was short. This will be longer, I promise! I just had to keep things neutral last chapter in case people wanted this to be a non-yaoi fic.  
  
I forgot to mention in the last chapter: "..." is speaking and '...' is thinking  
  
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Chapter 2  
  
Sunlight peeked through the blinds into the small, cozy room, awakening Yugi. Groggily, he sat up in bed and looked around his toy-strewn room. His body still felt sore from his beating yesterday. 'Speaking of a beating..Yami!' He thought, suddenly remembering the encounter with the boy who strangely resembled him and the first person to ever pay attention to him and who saved him from Ushio. Maybe, just maybe, he had even made a friend.  
  
He dared not get his hopes too high as he got ready for school. Slipping into his uniform, he went downstairs for breakfast. Still, as he ate his pancakes, he couldn't stop thinking about the meeting yesterday and how friendly Yami had been. He was usually laughed at and made fun of by those who didn't bully him. If he was lucky, people ignored him. He liked those times when he could be alone and play with his little games and gadgets. Now, he had experienced the feeling of having human company.  
  
"Yugi! There's someone on a motorcycle outside! I think he's waiting for you!" his grandpa called to him from the door. Yugi bolted up from the table, dumping his dishes in the sink, and rushed to see. Sure enough, there was Yami, this time with two helmets for the both of them. "Your new friend?" his grandpa asked.  
  
"Um, I think so." Yugi replied. When his grandpa looked at him with a questioning look, he added, "I'll explain later! Bye, Grandpa!" The busy boy rushed out the door to the waiting figure outside.  
  
"Hi, Yami! Sorry, did I keep you waiting?"  
  
"No, not at all. How are you feeling today?" Yugi looked at him a bit confused until Yami motioned to his injuries.  
  
"Oh, these? I'm fine. Don't even feel them anymore."  
  
"That's good. Here, hop on," he held out the helmet to Yugi. The little one was a quick learner and easily strapped on the headgear and seated himself behind Yami.  
  
"Gee, you really didn't have to go through all this trouble to give me a ride." he said sheepishly.  
  
"It's no problem, Yugi. Really. Now, remember what to do?" Yugi giggled slightly as he nodded and held onto the other's one body. The motorcycle roared to life as they left the Game Shop. During the trip, Yugi kept on trying to resist, but found it most comfortable to rest his head against Yami's back so the wind wouldn't nip at his face. The taller boy was wearing a kind of black leather today, which felt cool and smooth to his cheek. Yugi also became more conscious of a slightly sweet, spicy smell emitting from the warm body in front of him. It smelled very good, and he couldn't help but allow more of the intoxicating aroma to fill his nostrils. He wondered if it was because of the shirt or actually Yami he was smelling.  
  
'Wait a minute!' He pulled back. What on earth was he thinking? He knew for sure it was NOT a natural thing to be smelling someone! Unless you were a dog or something. But he laid his head back anyway, and basked himself in that new feeling of complete contentment for the rest of the ride.  
  
"Yugi, we're here," Yami said gently as he parked near the sidewalk in front of Domino High School. Seeing as how the passenger didn't move, he shook him lightly. Yugi snapped out of his daze, realizing the vehicle had stopped.  
  
"Oops! Sorry!" he exclaimed as he got off. "Thanks so much for the ride. So, um, where will you go?"  
  
"I have school too, at the one over there," Yami pointed due north. "I'll tell you more after school. Meet me here this afternoon, okay? See you later," he said, preparing to leave.  
  
"Bye, Yami," Yugi turned and entered the building, happy for the first time in years. Yami had come to see him again! He really did consider Yugi as a friend and wasn't just being polite in accompanying him home yesterday. Yugi smiled cheerfully, nearly skipping down the halls.  
  
"Hey, shrimp!" Yugi gasped as he was grabbed and lifted up in the air and being turned forcefully to meet the infuriated gaze of none other than the bully Ushio. "I don't know what that other weird kid who looked like you was about, but he's not here today!" Ushio snickered, raising his fist. "And you know what that means, especially when you have a two-day lateness."  
  
"P-please, no!" Yugi begged fearfully, shutting his eyes. Just then, the bell rang, causing Ushio to drop him to the floor with a thump as he hurried off to class. After a few moments of sitting there, Yugi finally regained his senses and picked himself up, going to his class as well.  
  
'That was close.' he thought, legs still feeling a bit wobbly. 'I can't wait for school to be over.'  
  
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As soon as the last bell rang, Yugi nearly sprinted to the front of the school and was amazed that once again, Yami was already there, waiting for him.  
  
"Hey, Yugi!" Yami greeted. "Do you have a lot of homework today?"  
  
"Huh? No, why?"  
  
"I was wondering if you wanted to have some milkshakes at Burger World with me. Are you up to it?"  
  
"Yeah, sure!" Yugi responded happily. "But I don't have any money."  
  
"Don't worry. It's my treat," Yami reassured him with a bright smile, which Yugi mirrored back, his innocent little features lighting up into an adorable grin. (A/N: Awwwww.)  
  
When the duo reached the restaurant, it was at the perfect time. There were not too many people so they were able to find a comfortable seat for two even though Yugi usually preferred those cool high stools that you could spin around on.  
  
"We can get the new Blueberry Burst milkshake, or do you want something else?" Yami inquired, looking at a nearby menu board.  
  
"No, Blueberry's fine. It's one of my favorite fruits," Yugi chirped.  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Hello, boys. What'll it be?" they turned to see their waitress dressed in a pink uniform with a blue tie and skirt. She had shoulder length brown hair and clear blue eyes. She was Anzu Masaki, from Yugi's school. Although they were in many classes together, she hardly ever acknowledged the boy, and she didn't seem to notice him here in Burger World either.  
  
"We'll have two Blueberry Burst milkshakes," Yami said smoothly, handing her the menu. Anzu's eyes widened when she saw how similar the two looked, but didin't say anything. She was particularly fascinated by the taller, darker one as her eyes couldn't keep themselves off of his well-built body clothed in a tight leather sleeveless shirt that clung to him oh so nicely.(A/N: drool)  
  
Yugi visibly noticed this, and felt a bubble of anger rise in him, releasing itself in a soft growl he doubted anyone could hear. As soon as it had come out though, he was twice as confused. What had that been all about? He had never growled before in his life. It couldn't have just been a mistake. And why did he feel a painful stab to his body, unlike the physical stabs he often encountered from bullies, when he saw Anzu staring at Yami that way? Could it be jealousy? Yami was supposed to be HIS friend, right?  
  
He continued to blink in confusion after Anzu left. Surprisingly, the milkshakes came almost immediately. Now he knew why this place attracted so many customers. Nothing could beat fast service. He popped a straw into the cool, frothy blue mixture and he and Yami took a sip simultaneously.  
  
"Mmmm! Wow, this is so good!" Yugi exclaimed, licking his lips.  
  
"Yeah, I knew you would like it," Yami chuckled as he watched Yugi continue to gulp down the drink. When the younger one had had enough, he tried to start a conversation. "So, Yugi, how are you doing at school?"  
  
"Pretty good," Yugi replied. "I get all A's which makes the other students jealous, and I also like to play with the toys I bring during recess."  
  
"Don't you play with your friends or go outside during recess?"  
  
"No, no one's ever wanted to play with me before," Yugi looked down at his shake wistfully as he said this. Yami's face filled with concern, but he chose not to probe the matter even more. Yugi obviously did not want to talk about it, so he would respect his wishes and wait until he was ready. "Oh, by the way, what school do you go to, Yami?"  
  
"I go to Goldfield High School. It's a private school near yours, only it ends a bit sooner before yours."  
  
"Oh, so that's why you were there before me," Yugi concluded. "I thought I was late or something."  
  
"No, not at all, little one," Yami said with a light laugh, amused even more when he saw the look of indignation on the small boy's face at being called "little." The two had a great time, joking and laughing together as if they had known each other for a long time instead of having just met a day ago. They found out a lot about each other through their time at Burger World, and discovered that they both enjoyed playing Duel Monsters so they promised to duel the next afternoon.  
  
"Be careful," Yugi said. "I have the all-powerful Dark Magician in my deck!"  
  
"Really? Then I guess he'll have to deal with mine!"  
  
"You're kidding! We both have Dark Magicians?! Hmmm, I'll have to improve my deck overnight, then." But, as always, everything had to come to a close at some time, so eventually Yugi and Yami had to go their separate ways back to their own homes. But both returned back to their families in high spirits and full of excitement for the next day's anticipated duel.  
  
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Whew! Another chapter! I told you, there's not that much yaoi since Yugi and Yami have just met and stuff and I'm really inexperienced! But there is some. Ooh, Yugi's getting confused by his feelings.And Anzu makes her appearance. This is also totally up to you people. Review and tell me your opinion of Anzu. I know a lot of people hate her, so if enough want me to do something bad to her, I will!  
  
And sorry, this chapter is also kind of short. I wanted to write more, but all I succeeded in doing was just half a page more than the last one! And the ending sucked, I know. I needed to hurry before my parents got back home. One day I will write a long one and hopefully I will also make the plot move along faster, if there even is one. Just be patient.  
  
Please r/r! 


	3. Chapter 3: Encounter at the Museum

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh -__-' I'm getting tired of saying this.  
  
Thanks for the reviews. Don't worry. This is NOT going to be Yami/Anzu or any other pairing. *shudders* This is strictly a Yami/Yugi fic, so if you don't like yaoi and shounen-ai and haven't already turned back, do so right NOW!  
  
As for Anzu, I personally don't like her either. I can't believe I used to think she was okay until the day I got hooked on Yugi/Yami pairings. Then I just found her annoying. VERY annoying. So, I'll do something bad to her. I don't know what yet, but it'll be bad. No offense to all the Anzu fans!  
  
"……" is speaking and '……' is thinking  
  
Now, here's chapter 3…  
  
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Chapter 3  
  
It was 5:00 AM in the morning, but Yugi was wide awake. He lay in bed thinking about how fun it had been at Burger World yesterday. It seemed that whenever he was around Yami, he was really happy. Of course, he still couldn't get over the fact that he finally had someone to spend time with. He didn't feel as lonely or as empty as he did before. Even the bruises he got seemed like nothing compared to how happy he felt these last few days. His hand brushed against something soft, and when he looked to the left, he found a little plush doll jammed in the crack between his bed and the wall. He pulled it out, smiling when he saw it was a cute angel plushie. It reminded him of Yami, like he was some sort of angel who was sent by the gods to save Yugi from the cruel world he lived in. It really was unbelievable that he had come along, and not only saved him that time from Ushio, but also became his friend. This caused his thoughts to shift to the multi-colored hair boy himself.  
  
'Yami…hmmm, funny how it means "dark" when he's not like that at all. He's so friendly, generous, kind, and sincere. I can't believe he volunteered to give me a ride to and from school everyday. Wow… It's so strange that he looks almost exactly like me, only he's so much more handsome-" his eyes widened. 'Wait! Did I just…think that?' A small voice inside his head argued, 'Well, it _is_ true…'  
  
"What are you talking about?" Yugi said out loud, cheeks turning a light pink as he flipped over on his stomach. "I barely know him that well yet!"  
  
"Yugi? Are you okay in there?" the voice of his grandfather called through the door.  
  
"Um, yeah, grandpa!" The door opened slowly as the elderly man came in to check on his grandson. Yugi quickly turned his head to face the wall to hide his blush.  
  
"Who do you not know that well yet? Oh, you mean that boy who was waiting for you yesterday?" he sat down onto the bed next to Yugi. "You still haven't told me about him yet."  
  
"Oh, um, his name is Yami. I was being beaten up by Ushio when he came and saved me. Then he gave me a ride home. I think we're friends now and we're going to duel today."  
  
"Ushio again, huh? When will someone teach that boy a lesson?"  
  
"Trust me. Nobody will dare to even try," Yugi was now facing his grandpa completely.  
  
"So you finally made a friend," Sugoroku Mutou said cheerfully. "Ha ha, my boy. I knew you could do it! But why do you seem so sad?"  
  
"Huh? It's not about Yami, grandpa. I'm just worried about Ushio. He's been hunting me ever since I came to high school. I don't want to tell Yami because I don't need to give him any more trouble and to cause him to worry. It's already enough for him to give me a ride everyday and keep me company."  
  
Mr. Mutou was pained to see his grandson looking so troubled, but he decided to contribute his piece of advice. "Well, I understand. But maybe it'll make you feel better if you told him. He does seem like a really nice boy. You'll have to invite him over sometime." Yugi nodded, glad that his grandfather approved of his new friend. "Now, try to get some sleep. It's only 5:00 after all."  
  
After Sugoroku left, Yugi snuggled back under the covers, eyes drifting close peacefully as he thought about his grandpa's words and, of course, Yami.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It had been a week since Yugi and Yami's first meeting, and they had had lots of fun times in just those five weekdays. (They met on Monday, in case you were wondering.) They had dueled like they promised, only to end in a big disappointment for Yugi as Yami creamed him. He wasn't worried about that, though. It was nice to have a skilled opponent or at least a human one for that matter. He had played against the computer so many times he could memorize its entire deck and his grandpa was usually too busy running the shop to play with him.  
  
Yugi was kind of sad that he wouldn't be able to see Yami again for two days even though he knew he was being selfish. He couldn't expect Yami to just have time for him. That was crazy. Anyway, he had an art project due on Monday, so he decided to go visit the museum to keep him occupied. As he looked from one piece of art to another, he tried to decide which one to use for his project.  
  
'Hmmm, which one should I choose?' he thought to himself, nibbling on his pencil eraser. He liked art class, but he always had trouble deciding what to draw. Finally he decided on a painting called "An Angel's Blessing." It showed a human being looking up at a beautiful angel who was cupping his face. The man's eyes sparkled with happiness as he felt the angel's wings enclose around him. Yugi felt a strong connection to that particular piece although he wasn't sure why.  
  
He seated himself in front of the large frame and began to sketch the painting in his notebook. He made careful light and delicate strokes of the outline before shading in the picture. He completely lost himself in within the lines of his own drawing, almost imagining he was in it himself so he was totally unaware of the looming shadow that was coming towards him.  
  
Once again he was seized by the collar of his blue uniform jacket and a forceful hand clamped over his mouth, preventing him from screaming for help. 'No…' he thought, already knowing who it was. He had evaded the dangerous bully for the whole week and when he finally thought he was safe on the weekends, Ushio had somehow managed to track him down. He was carried down the hall to a silent wing of the museum where hardly any people went. The hand that had not only been blocking his mouth, but his nose as well, cutting off his breath, was finally removed.  
  
"Don't you dare try to yell for help, you little runt," Ushio's voice hissed. "No one can here you down in this section." Yugi trembled in fear at the brutal tone, obviously full of agitation for having to hunt him down for a week. He started to close his eyes in defeat, but as he did, his hand brushed against something hard in his shirt pocket. The Dark Magician. He was reminded of how brave and courageous Yami had been when he faced Ushio. He would have to at least try.  
  
With a burst of adrenaline, he freed himself from Ushio's grip, nimbly slipping out of his jacket. He fell to the floor, landing on his feet, and ran as fast as he could down the hallway back to the part of the museum he knew there would be people before Ushio could react. The bully roared in rage and took chase after him, muttering a string of curses.  
  
Yugi ran as fast as he had ever ran, so much that he startled the people he passed in the museum. His legs began to feel weak and his breath was coming out in short gasps but he still pushed on. He didn't know quite where he was running to as he blindly navigated the huge maze of the museum. As fate would have it, Yami was also in the same museum browsing through the paintings. When Yugi turned the corner, he crashed into the other boy.  
  
"Y-Yugi?" Yami asked in surprise when he regained his senses. He looked up into the frightened eyes of the exhausted runner. Yugi himself was also just as surprised and could only stare in disbelief at the other's face. They stayed like that for a few moments before realizing the *awkward* position they were in to say the least. Yugi was lying on top of Yami, their faces only a few inches apart. Both blushed as they quickly separated, ending up both kneeling on the floor. Yugi's face felt hot at the moment, but the images of his narrow escape still replayed in his head. He wanted so badly to tell Yami about his predicament, but he was afraid to cause him more trouble or annoyance. Yami noticed the fear and turmoil in his eyes as they continued looking at one another. "What's wrong?" At these words, the younger one couldn't hold it in anymore and broke down into tears, burying his face into Yami's chest.  
  
Yami didn't know what was going on, but it pained him to see Yugi like this. He wrapped his arms around the sobbing boy and smoothed his back, whispering words of comfort. "Shhh…It's all right, Yugi," he said as he held him closer. The little one finally managed to stop crying, but he was still shaking as he whimpered softly. He felt Yami lift his chin up to meet his eyes. Yami saw the look of helplessness in Yugi's tear-filled amethyst eyes and immediately cupped his face, wiping away the tears gently. "Yugi, can you tell me what's wrong?"  
  
"U-Ushio…" Yugi sniffed, his voice cracking as he tears threatened to spill again. "He…"  
  
"Don't say anymore," Yami replied, gathering Yugi into his arms again. "I understand. Don't worry. Ushio will dare not lay a finger on you ever again." Yugi returned the embrace, marveling at the feeling of being in Yami's arms. It felt so…right…Yami seemed to provide an invisible barrier from the pain of the outside world, something that even his grandfather couldn't do. Yugi had never felt so safe nor so comfortable before. He didn't notice when he was slowly guided to his feet. His legs felt like jello, but he could still stand.  
  
He calmed down somewhat before the nagging question in his mind finally made its way out. "D-Do you really mean that? Ushio won't ever lay a finger on me again?" Yami smiled tenderly before replying.  
  
"I give you my word. I'll protect you," Yugi felt himself practically melt at such a look. His knees felt weak, and it had nothing to do with running.  
  
"Thank you, Yami." he whispered breathlessly. Just then, the ground shook as footsteps stomped their way. Even the sculptures and pottery shook on their platforms. Yugi gulped and Yami's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Where the hell are you, twerp?" the thunderous voice boomed. "Your worthless carcass is guaranteed DEAD once I find you!"  
  
"Yugi, over here!" Yami instructed as he pulled both of them into a nearby restroom. They saw that if they tried to hide in the stalls, Ushio would definitely find them. Instead, they squeezed into the space next to the door in the corner and prayed to God that they wouldn't be discovered. Ushio somehow had a keen sense of intuition and headed for the restroom straight away. He slammed the door open, slightly crushing the bodies of the two boys hiding behind it. He glanced at the row of empty stalls, all with open doors, and the sinks. Not a soul seemed to be in this room. He cursed furiously as he turned around and stomped away, the door banging shut.  
  
After the whole ordeal, Yugi and Yami remained huddled in the corner. Yami breathed a sigh of relief as he slowly felt the numbness fear had instilled in him drain away and tried to comfort the shocked child next to him. Yugi seemed so fragile, so sensitive and easy to damage whether in the body or in the spirit. But it was a quality Yami found intriguing along with the fact that this soul seemed so innocent and young. He couldn't see how anyone would want to keep away from such a sweet, adorable little thing. 'Where the heck did that come from?' He shook the thought out of his head and tried to focus on the situation at hand.  
  
"It's okay, Yugi. He's gone. We'll find a way to deal with him, one day…"  
  
"But…how?" Yugi asked, his eyes still watery, making the violet color all the more brilliant.  
  
"I'll find a way, I promise…" And Yami sincerely meant that.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yay! I'm done. I enjoyed writing that…*grins* It seems Yugi and Yami are getting closer. *wink wink* I really don't like to hurt poor Yugi. He IS one of my favorites after all, but it's important to the storyline. Now I can add some more fluff to the story, if you guys really want some.  
  
So please r/r!


	4. Chapter 4: Yami's Plan

@o@ Waaaaa!!!! 50 Reviews? Are you serious? 50 Reviews? *cries in happiness* That's half of my life long goal at fanfiction.net! I feel so loved! THANK YOU everyone!!! Arigatou, minna-san!!! (That was fun! Maybe I should use Japanese more often in my fics...) *calms down and gets embarrassed* Do you guys really like this fic that much?  
  
Anyway, I'll try to add more fluff in this chapter. The key word is "try." I'm still inexperienced. Thank you Sarah and jao kolad for telling me to have more confidence in myself. I think I might have gone too fast in chapter 3, skipping the duel and all the other fun times Yugi and Yami had during their first week together, so I'll try to slow down and add more quality time.  
  
I also just realized that I do not have to do the disclaimer. I can just get Yami over here to say it.  
  
Yami: *pops out of nowhere* Where am I?  
  
YXW: *sooooo happy but resists the urge to glomp him* Hi, Yami! You're in my office! Now, please do the disclaimer.  
  
Yami: *looks at the piece of paper* Do I have to?  
  
YXW: Well, you don't really HAVE to, but I'm afraid I'll have to discontinue the story if you don't. Or probably destroy the whole thing since I don't want lawyers coming after me.  
  
Yami: What? And leave poor Yugi all alone again? No! Okay, okay! Yo Xi Wang does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! She does not own me, Yugi, or anyone else in the story either. Even Ushio is a character from season 1, in case you didn't know.  
  
Cool! That felt so great! From now on, I will get Yami to say the disclaimer. Or Yugi if he's not too shy.  
  
This fic contains Yugi/Yami yaoi. So if you don't like, then don't read by all means! Also, there will be a little bit of Anzu bashing in here because many reviewers and myself don't like her. Those are all the warnings.  
  
"..." is speaking and '...' is thinking  
  
Now, please move on to the fic!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 4  
  
For the remaining days of the weekend after the museum incident, Yugi tossed and turned in his sleep. He kept dreaming of Ushio and the demonic voice that shouted out warnings to him. He awoke in the middle of the night, covered in sweat, and on the brink of tears. He huddled within the blanket sheets and wondered what he did to ever deserve this. For the minute there, he almost felt like he was back to his old self, the lonely lost child who was rejected by everyone and hated by all.  
  
Yugi shook his head, trying to reassure himself that he had someone who cared. Yami. But no sooner had he thought of him that his pessimistic side started to take over again and ask him a bunch of questions. Why would Yami want to be your friend when no once else does? Why didn't he just ignore you when Ushio was beating you up? It would be so much easier if he had left you alone...  
  
'Maybe I am being a burden to him,' Yugi thought tearfully. 'But it seemed like he had fun when we dueled each other... and I could never forget how he comforted me at the museum...' He closed his eyes and recalled the feel of Yami's arms holding him protectively, making him feel warm and secure and comfortable. 'I'm so lucky to have such a great friend...' he drifted off back to sleep despite knowing deep down that he would face those nightmares again. He just hoped that Yami would be able to help him in his dreams like he did in real life...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Monday morning finally came, but poor Yugi was so tired from lack of sleep that he could hardly sit up. He rolled off the bed and landed hard on the floor. "Itai.(ouch)," he mumbled when he felt building blocks dig into his back. He creaked open one eye wearily to look from the carpet view at his room. His eyes fell on the crumpled up piece of paper he had hastily ripped from his sketchbook when he saw Ushio. He had somehow managed to hold onto it all throughout everything that happened, but it ended up being bent and ruffled up in his pocket.  
  
He reached over and opened it up, wondering how he could have missed it before. Perhaps in all the colorful mess of objects in his room, he didn't notice the worn whitish gray of the drawing. He looked fondly at the picture, still being able to imagine the masterpiece in his mind. The picture was actually pretty good and it had every detail it was supposed to. Then Yugi noticed something alarming. The drawing of the angel...Its eyes...He remembered clearly that the ones in the painting were soft blue and gave a sense that the owner was very young. The ones he drew were different. More angular, more sharp, they caused the person looking at them to feel intimidated by the intense look. It was weird since it transformed the angel and made it look darker, more demonic, but still it did not change the fact it was an angel and did good and believed in righteousness.  
  
Yugi couldn't wonder any longer because he heard the sound of wheels pulling up to his driveway. He scrambled up from the floor and took a glance out the window. Yes, that was Yami. He then realized he was extremely late. Getting over his sleepiness, he zipped through his daily routine at hyper speed and zoomed out the door with a piece of toast in his mouth, leaving a very startled grandfather at the door.  
  
"Sowy to kweep you waiting!" Yami smiled, amused, as he watched Yugi struggle to swallow the toast while getting on the motorcycle at the same time. He ended up tripping over the pedal and Yami had to grab his shirt to keep him from slipping over the side of the vehicle. (A/N: I know, it's kind of hard to imagine.) Finally Yugi managed to get onto his seat. He tried hurriedly to brush the excess bangs from his eyes which blocked his view.  
  
"Take it easy, Yugi," Yami laughed. "You won't be late for school." Yugi blushed with embarrassment as he nodded.  
  
"But your school starts earlier than mine," he protested. "You'll be late."  
  
"That's where you're wrong," Yugi tilted his head to the side, confused. Yami smiled mysteriously before turning around and starting the engine. "You'll see."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yugi wondered silently as he walked down the hall to class. He slid open the door (A/N: A lot of Japanese schools use those. They're cool! ^__^) and took a seat. He was used to the disgusted look of some of his classmates and being simply ignored whenever he came in. He didn't even bother to say good morning like all the other kids did. What was the point if no one was there to listen to him? The bell rang and at almost the exact same time, his first period teacher entered the room.  
  
"Settle down, class," Mr. Fushigi said. He made his way to the front of the room, dropped his books on the desk, and picked up the chalk. "Before we begin today, we have a new transfer student joining us." He scribbled something on the board before speaking, "Come in, please."  
  
Yugi fiddled with his fingers absentmindedly. 'Another one?' he thought. 'We already had Ryou Bakura and Malik Ishtar all in this one year. Who could it be this time?' Shoes clicked as the new student came into the classroom. Yugi's mouth nearly dropped.  
  
"Yami Mutou," the teacher said. The tri-colored boy really aroused a lot of attention. People kept on pointing to him and looking back and forth from him to Yugi. These people were mostly guys. All the girls were too busy drooling and fainting at the gorgeous figure in the front of the room, including one particular waitress named Anzu.  
  
"I know him!" she screeched. All eyes turned to her in disbelief. She just shot them a nasty look and turned her gaze back to Yami. Yugi himself was finding it hard NOT to drool at Yami. Along with his tight navy blue sleeveless shirt adored with buckles, he wore shiny leather pants that fit snugly to his legs, showing every delectable curve. His slender arms were bare, showing the hints of a muscular build, as they fell at his sides. The neck buckle and belt with a dash of a chain running into his pocket only added to his already impressive appearance. He kept his head the slightest bit tilted downward, causing shadows to play on his face, giving him a mysterious and dark look along with his enchanting crimson-eyed gaze half covered by his silky golden bangs. (A/N: **drools puddles** Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot! HOT!!!!!! *gets burned by her own thoughts* Yeowch! Thank you lord for blessing our lives with this beautiful creature!! This goes for all other Yami-obsessed girls. Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did writing it! ^__~)  
  
"Mr. Yami, you're aware that there's a school rule that enforces the use of uniforms..." Mr. Fushigi said.  
  
"I know that, sensei," Yami replied. His rich, smooth voice only caused more girls to faint. It even sent a shiver up Yugi's spine. He never noticed how...nice Yami's voice sounded. The new student held up the school jacket that was previously on top of his bag. He started to put it on only to have murmurs of protest fill the room. Things such as "No! Keep it off!" and "No jacket!" swept the entire classroom of students. The boys in the room, however, remained quiet, some looking defiantly at Yami.  
  
"Well..." the teacher began. He was one of the nicer, more understanding people. "Fine. Mr. Yami, you do not have to wear it if you do not wish to." The cheers that erupted nearly drowned out his next instructions. "Please take a seat behind Mr. Mutou. He's the one who looks a lot like you." Yami obeyed silently. As he walked through the aisle, he felt all eyes on him and he heard many swoons, especially a very loud one from you-know-who. It caused him to sweatdrop the slightest bit internally. The only person he was really glad to see was Yugi who looked at him with a mix of shock, surprise, delight, and confusion.  
  
"I'll explain later," he whispered to the small boy. He then took his seat and the lesson began.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It seemed forever until lunchtime came. It was not just because of Yugi's anxiousness to know why Yami transferred to his school but out of nervousness from just knowing that Yami was behind him. He didn't know why he was feeling the way he did, but just thinking that Yami was right there and might even be watching his every movement made him feel jittery and caused his heart rate to speed up. In fact, he was nearly correct in what he thought because most of the time, Yami WAS watching him. Very closely too. Both of them tried to ignore all the attention they got from their peers, some having already figured out they had the same last name. It was actually just pure coincidence, but their similar appearances were definitely something to marvel about. They could pass as twins practically.  
  
As soon as the class was dismissed, Yugi felt a hand land on his shoulder, causing him to jump a bit. "Come, Yugi. I'll explain when we get outside." He started to follow Yami when the other boy suddenly turned around. "Um, I don't know the school very well yet. Maybe you should lead the way."  
  
Yugi giggled as he took the lead. "Sure, I can give you a whole tour too." It felt good to have a friend around. He had always seen other people walk to classes together, do homework together, and eat lunch together. They always looked like they had so much fun, but he had never been able to experience that. He had always been the only one left out of the loop and always the single person left when people partnered up for a project or activity. Until now. His smile broadened as he realized how fortunate he was, or at least in his point of view.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Anzu searched the lunchroom quickly. She had just broken up with another one of her many boyfriends so she could once again be available. She had only one target in mind this time. After checking to make sure she looked as good as she could possibly be, she had gone on a search for Yami, the new kid at Domino High. She was sure she could get anyone she wanted because she was, in her mind's eye, irresistible. (A/N: *pukes* Ugh... Sorry to all Anzu fans. I know she's not like this really, but if she was nice and stuff, you wouldn't get as much satisfaction when something bad happens to her. So this is a very un-Anzu like Anzu, okay?)  
  
She may have been nasty, arrogant, and disgusting, but she wasn't stupid. She knew to look for a crowd of rabid fangirls but, unfortunately, she found none. Then it hit her. Maybe Yami was in the courtyard. 'Yeah, that's it. No need to worry, though. I definitely won't have any competition. I'd be a stand out from the crowd. When I come into the picture, he's sure to go gaga over me, just like all the others did,' she rubbed her hands gleefully with an evil smirk on her face. 'Goody.'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yami and Yugi were running across the football fields, both sweatdropping, as they were being chased by a mob of girls. They were all after Yami, but Yugi didn't want to leave his friend alone to deal with the problem when it wasn't even his fault. Yami couldn't help it if he was so good-looking, could he? He just liked leather, that's all. The two had just sat down under a large cherry blossom tree and got ready to eat when a swarm of people headed their way. It was pure chaos so they had no choice but to run. Yugi felt himself losing air and fast. He wasn't used to running for this long. He had never been a very athletic person either. Finally he gave in to his fatigue and collapsed onto the grass.  
  
"Yugi!" Yami cried, rushing to his side. Beads of sweat were on the fallen boy's forehead and he was panting hard. He must have overheated himself in the hot sun. Yami turned back to the crowd, enraged. "What's wrong with you people?!" he yelled, exasperated.  
  
"Look! He talked!" was all he got as a reply from one of the girls. They only moved closer, causing fear to form for the first time within him. He had put his school jacket on, but it still didn't keep them away. They simply tore at the fabric material, trying to pull it off. Yami tried his best to withstand it for he couldn't possibly abandon Yugi.  
  
At this moment, Anzu finally arrived. She had been running a few yards behind the mob, tailing them for a long time before she caught up. Putting her nose high up in the air, she tried to make a grand entrance. No one acknowledged her, though. The pushing and shoving within the crowd caused her to rocket around like a ping pong ball before she was finally kicked out completely smack into a tree trunk. She gasped, never having been treated like that before. Deciding that now was not the best time to make a move, she fixed her hair and slinked away, already beginning to plot for next time.  
  
Yami really was having a hard time keeping things under control. Sure, he could fight well, but he was outnumbered by maybe a hundred people. There was also no way violence was allowed on school grounds. "What do you want from me?" he demanded. Replies of "Take off your shirt!" and such sounded throughout the group of fangirls. He sighed, truly frustrated. 'This is why I used to go to a private school,' he mentally chided. "Look, if you don't calm down and stay at least three feet away, I'll just transfer out of this school back to where I used to go and never come back again."  
  
This really did the trick. The girls all looked disappointed, like a puppy who wanted a dog treat but couldn't get any, and backed away slowly. 'Finally,' Yami thought. He took a second to breathe then turned around to reassure Yugi that everything was okay. Surprisingly, Yugi was not where he lay a few minutes ago.  
  
"Yugi?" Yami asked, voice turning panicky. "YUGI!!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Wow, I can't believe I actually wrote a cliffhanger!  
  
Yami: *sarcastically* Congratulations.  
  
Yup, that was my first one! I'm so happy! Anyway, it's 10:30 and I've got to sleep, so there's a cliffhanger for you people to enjoy. And I told you already that there would be a little bit of Anzu bashing. How was it? On a scale from 1 to 10?  
  
Oh, and sorry there wasn't much fluff in this chapter. I don't know what's going on with me. I guess I wasn't in fluff mood.  
  
One more thing. I'm in the mood to include other characters in this story as well. You can choose from almost anyone from Yu-Gi-Oh, but it'll be kind of hard to include Isis and Rishid. Malik, as you already know, is a transfer student. Please review and suggest which other characters you want in this fic. I think I'm going to include Jounouchi. The others are all up to you!  
  
Please r/r and remember to tell me which characters you want to be in this fic! 


	5. Chapter 5: Showdown

Are you kidding me? **86** Reviews? And there were 31 for just chapter 4!! O.O I can never describe how happy I am! ~^____^~ I never got 31 reviews for a single chapter before, even for the first one where you had to vote for yaoi or not! Wait…*thinks* Oh, it probably would have exceeded 31 if I had found out I wasn't accepting anonymous reviews. Argh! *bonks head on the table* Stupid me! Maybe I could have even gotten to 100 if I had known earlier…Oh, well, I'm just glad people like this story. Thank you a lot! Arigatou goizaimasu! Merci beaucoup! Muchas gracias! Shie Shie Ni! (Chinese)

Okaaaay…I've calmed down now. Many people didn't suggest some other characters. I guess the cliffhanger really got to them! Gomen! ^___^' Finally you get to know what happened to poor Yugi! But for those of you who did say something about other characters, they suggested Jounouchi, Seto, Malik, and Yami Bakura. Um, Yami Megami, did you really mean it when you said you wanted Isis? Sorry! I can't think of a way to include her. Oh, and Wishful Thinker, you wanted to know who Malik, Isis, and Rishid are. Malik is the owner of the Millennium Rod, which can take control of people's minds and he is determined to kill Yami because he was told that his father was killed by the Pharaoh and obviously Yami was the Pharaoh of Egypt back then. Isis is his older sister and owner of the Millennium Tauk, which can see into the future. And finally, Rishid is Malik's best friend and guardian and he was the only reason the purely evil Yami Malik did not take over. It was when Rishid was thought to be dead that Yami Malik came out and killed off Malik's father. Clear now? You'll meet them in about 4 weeks if Kids WB keeps on showing two new episodes at a time except for Rishid.

By the way, that's a good idea, Yami Megami! I can make Jou and Honda pick on Yugi! They treated him that way in the real show before they became friends anyway. Then, um, they could become friends and then Seto, Ryou, Malik, and Bakura could join in and they could hate Anzu together! And Luen-Chan, I realize I'm not supposed to be proud of cliffhangers. I'll try not to do them in the future, but they get so many reviews……I dunno if it was the cliffy or something else that got some many people to review, but thank you all anyway! Oh, and sorry that you had to wait so long for this update. It's been 4 days, I think, and I'm really sorry about this! I finally finished the purely evil English homework I had to do. There were **4** writing assignments!! **4**!! So thanks for waiting! ^^

Also, I see that some people also want some Yugi/Yami action. I do too, but I can't do anything about it! They just met for about a week and you expect them to fall in love already?! And I'm the authoress too, how pathetic. I'm sorry, but if I rush it, it'll just turn out awkward, so bear with me! You'll get your fluff, I promise! But I really REALLY can't do a lemon! -_-' Should I try, though? I usually never think of stuff like this so I don't know where that idea popped up! Must have been all those great websites I've been to like www.chihuahua.ss.mu…You should go visit there if you're a YxY fan, but they make Yugi very girlish. But if you're not bothered by that, you can go there. Sadly it's all in Japanese…

That all said…

Yami: No. *sees Yo Xi Wang's finger starting to press the big DELETE button* NOOOOOOO!!! 

I'm waiting…

Yami: The authoress does not own Yu-Gi-Oh but she wishes she did, particularly cute, sweet, innocent, adorable, gentle, caring, carefree, EXTREMELY kawaii Yugi and dark, handsome, clever, mysterious, brave, confident, dangerous, suave EXTREMELY hot and se—*stops abruptly* WHAT?!?! Did you have to write that?!

~^______^~ Of course!! It's soooo true, too! (Guess which word.) 

Yami: *slightly disturbed* Um, how am I dangerous? I don't intend to hurt anybody.

Not that kind, silly. I meant to say you're naughty.

Yami: O__o

What? You DO look veeerry bad-boy with all those buckles, chains, and leather… Or haven't you noticed?

Yami: *still unable to speak* O____O

I take that as a no? I guess I'll have to finish the disclaimer and notes, then. *grabs the sheet of paper* "….…" is speaking and '……' is thinking. There is also Yugi/Yami yaoi in here and Anzu bashing, but that might not apply for every single chapter. Some chapters she just won't be in them. Like this one. Also, I upped the rating because Yugi and Yami suffer. Just a warning: there'll be violence in this chapter, but this chapter ONLY. I don't mean to hurt them! *sniff* Poor Yugi and Yami! I love them and don't want them to get hurt. But it'll all be worth it later on…*grins*

May I present Chapter 5!

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Chapter 5

_"Yugi?" Yami asked, voice turning panicky. "YUGI!!"_

Yami looked in every direction, but there was no sign of the tri-color-haired boy. He forced himself to calm down and think things through. "No! It can't be!" he realized in horror. He turned back towards the school building and followed his instincts, leaving behind a bunch of very confused girls. 'It can't be! Not here, not now!' Yami thought as he ran as fast as his legs would carry him. 'And he was right there too…I could've helped him!' He finally reached his goal, the door to the school's basement, somewhere no student was ever allowed. His gut feeling told him this was where Yugi was. Ignoring the Do Not Enter sign, he burst through into the dimly lit room.

"I've been expecting you," a low voice said with a hint of amusement. Yami growled at the sight of the massive bully, who had a knife pressed to Yugi's throat. The poor boy was still unconscious and lay limply in Ushio's grasp.

"What do you want with him?" he asked venomously.

"Oh, nothing. I just like to watch people suffer," Ushio grinned wickedly. "Especially someone as weak and fragile as him. You see, he's so easy to break." As if to emphasize his point, he broke one of Yugi's fingers, resulting in a sickening crack. The searing pain caused Yugi to jolt awake. He took one look at his position and fear filled his eyes.

"Y-Yami……please……help……" he pleaded, tears streaming down his face.

"Yugi!" Yami tried to step forward but Ushio just pressed the knife into his captive's neck, making Yugi yelp in pain. "You coward…" Yami flared with hatred.

"Be careful what you call me, shrimp," Ushio looked down from his great height. Yami was a bit taller than Yugi, but compared to Ushio, he was still considered a "shrimp." The bully idly drew a thin line on the soft, pale flesh, and a small trickle of blood started to escape from the wound. "As you can see, weapons are more efficient than fists." Yugi began to whimper, feeling the newly added pain along with his broken finger. His eyes were so full of tears that he couldn't see clearly anymore. Yami felt his heart being wrenched by watching Yugi's state of agony. He wanted nothing more than to stop the little one's pain, but he couldn't do anything. Ushio had Yugi's life in his hands and one wrong move would end the boy's life.

"Ushio," he said between clenched teeth. "You really are a coward. You don't have the courage to fight fair and square. I demand you put Yugi down and we shall fight one on one. No tricks."

"Hmmm…" Ushio pondered. "Interesting. You're saying put Yugi up as the prize?" He smiled as he accepted the offer. "Deal. I'm going to beat you up so badly, you'd wish you never crossed the path of Ushio…er, Ushio…Oh, who cares about my last name. You'd wish you never crossed the path of Ushio!" He tucked the knife back in his pocket and used a rope to wrap Yugi securely to a nearby pole. 

"Yugi…" Yami glanced at his frightened friend. "Be strong…" From the look Yugi gave him, he knew that he was trying to wish him good luck. Yami gulped as he turned back to look at his enemy. The sheer weight of the bully would have been enough to crush him. He would have to be careful and discover Ushio's weak point. "Ready?"

"Yeah. Come give me your best shot, runt," Ushio even waved his hands to let Yami make the first move. It was exactly what Yami did. He rushed at the large bulk, going so quickly that Ushio didn't have time to react. His punch landed right in the bully's face. Unfortunately, that was the last major hit Yami got off of him. Reacting quickly, Ushio counteracted and delivered a blow to Yami's gut. Yami jumped back in pain, but kept his guard up as Ushio charged toward him. They sparred for a while, each one blocking the punches and kicks of the other. "Not bad, runt. You'll put up a decent fight at least." Yami only growled as he continued blocking the attacks. 

Ushio then decided to raise the level a notch. He began putting more power in his attacks, causing a stinging pain to remain in Yami's hands whenever he blocked a punch. He had somehow switched to just defending himself. He could never win at this rate. He surprised the bully by retreating backwards and out of the way, using his speed to his advantage. He got some hits in on the off-balanced Ushio who was trying to keep up with his attacks. Yugi's eyes brightened when he saw how Yami was dealing with the situation. Ushio had power but not speed. Maybe there was a chance…

"Grrrr…" Ushio grunted as he missed Yami again and he ended up punching a hole in the wall. He felt another kick to his back, pushing him down onto the basement floor. Yami saw that this was his opening. He rushed with a barrage of punches and kicks, really dealing damage to his opponent. (A/N: Yami's really strong, isn't he? ^__^)

Ushio felt excruciating pain, something he had never felt before. Under the heavy hits, he got desperate and completely disregarded the fact about fair play. He whipped out the knife, stabbing Yami in the shoulder. Blood pooled out, shocking Yami, and it made his attacks weaker. Ushio continued with his assaults, cutting more wounds into the boy. He knew he wasn't fighting fairly, but he couldn't care less.

"Yami! No!!" Yugi screamed, seeing more cuts and bruises more by the minute. His tears flooded out again as he watched his only friend being stabbed and beaten. "Stop it, Ushio!! I-it's not fair!! Don't hurt Yami anymore!! Please!! You can d-do whatever you want with me……but don't---" he choked on his sobs and couldn't finish. The bully didn't even pay attention. He was laughing like a maniac as he kicked Yami anyway he pleased. He finally slammed the boy into the wall. Yami slid down and his body remained limp on the floor amidst a puddle of crimson blood. You couldn't even see him breathe. "Yami?" Yugi asked desperately. "Yami?! YAMIIIII?!!! Say something!!!!!" He lowered his head, tears clouding his vision, his eyes red and puffy. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!" His cries of despair mingled with Ushio's cruel and triumphant laughter, forming a hideous sound that rung through the school.

"Oh, yes, little Yugi," Ushio said and turned his murderous gaze on the trapped prisoner. "And now, according to the rules, you're mine." Yugi could only shut his eyes as he heard Ushio's footsteps approaching him. He was ripped gruffly from the binding ropes and held in the air. He immediately felt impacts of pain, one powerful punch after another. He literally became a punching bag. Black and blue bruises formed on his once smooth skin, which had luckily been able to escape a beating for a whole week.

'Forgive me, Yami,' he thought through it all. 'This is all my fault…' he didn't even have the strength to yell anymore whenever he was hit. He succumbed to the attacks completely and hoped for death to come quickly.

Yami stirred slightly, creaking open one eye weakly. His head, which was propped up against the wall, allowed him to see Yugi and Ushio. "Yugi…" he tried to mumble, but realized his jaw was injured. He closed his eyes in frustration and anger. He felt like slamming his fist into the floor, but he couldn't. He had failed in protecting Yugi, the little angel who was so pure and so undeserving of such a fate. He wanted to, no, he _needed_ to protect one so delicate and heavenly innocent. Yami realized in shock that Yugi meant the world to him. He had lots of other friends, but he had never been as happy, as open, or have shared as many laughs as he did with Yugi. They had only known each other for a week, but that one week he had spent with Yugi had held just as fun, memories, and emotions as the years and years he had spent with his other friends and even with his parents. 'I can't……let him die……'

"Ah!" Yugi cried as his head was thrown back from a particularly violent punch. The indescribable look of despair, hopelessness, and pain was written all over his face, and Yami couldn't take it anymore, seeing that angelic face suffer so intensely. Something inside of him snapped. He felt energy surge within him, like an invisible crackle of electricity that jolted through his body and gathered at his right hand. Involuntarily, the hand raised itself and extended toward the bully, fingers spread apart. Yami felt a that white hot blast of energy launch from his hand, heading straight towards Ushio. No one could see it nor hear it, not even Yami himself, but it had a realistic effect on the enemy. 

Ushio was just in the middle of another assault when he felt his head split in two. The pain within his mind was unbearable. He felt as if his insides were being shattered into pieces. "AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!" he screamed, his last words before he dropped Yugi and collapsed with a loud thump onto the concrete, where he lay completely still. The energy blast took the last bit of Yami's strength. His head fell to the floor as he slipped into unconsciousness, his last thought was that of relief……relief that he had saved Yugi.

Yugi heard the tremendous sound of the massive bully fall to the floor, but he could not believe his ears. He gingerly opened his tear-streaked eyes to see in amazement that Ushio had been defeated! He felt really weak and every part of his body ached, but he tried his best to get up. He crawled completely past the fallen bully, not caring whatever happened to him, and finally reached the still body of Yami. He cried as he looked at his badly injured friend and felt the warm, sticky puddle of blood seep into his clothing. He tried to check for a pulse with hopes not too high. He was surprised to feel the faint movement in Yami's wrist, not daring to believe it. He put his finger back and felt it again. He was sure of it this time. It was no imagination. Yami was _alive_!!!

"Yami, please hold on," he whispered even though he knew Yami couldn't hear him. This new information brought him a newfound strength, and he discovered he could finally stand up. He willed himself to believe that his wounds were not too bad. He had been beaten up like this before, hadn't he? And he had always been able to recover. Slipping his arms under Yami, he tried to lift him up, but his muscles were so weak that the body felt like it weighed a ton. He decided to give up that notion. Still with hope in his heart, he scampered up the stairs as fast as he could and opened the door. "Please someone help us!" he called. Luckily, his classmates Bakura and Malik were passing by. They noticed the injured boy and rushed to help him.

"Yugi, you look terrible," Bakura said with concern. He was always one of those polite people, someone who knew almost everyone's name and tried to help out in any way possible. 

"I'm okay, but my friend, Yami's really hurt! He-he's been beaten by Ushio……" At the mentioning of the school's most feared bully, both Bakura and Malik paled. They nodded to each other and rushed downstairs to help the new student. Yugi remained, watching anxiously from the doorway, too tired to even move and try to help them. He wiped the fresh tears that formed and tried not to think of the unfair battle that had just taken place. "Yami……please……_please_ be okay……"

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And I'll leave it off there! Phew! It took me sooooo long to write this! I think it's been about two hours or something? So, anyway, that's the end of this chapter. Ugh, there really was a lot of violence and angst here…No more of that, though! Ushio's gone! ^____^

Yami: Yeah, finally. What did you do to me?! And what was that weird energy blast that destroyed Ushio?

That was cool! It shattered Ushio from the inside so no one could know what happened. The answer's obvious, isn't it? His soul was _shattered_. His mind was _obliterated_. The first person to tell me what the name of the attack was called gets a prize! They can have however a Yugi/Yami fluff scene they want, and I'll try my best to put in into this fic sometime soon. It's easy, but you have to be quick! Anyway, I'll clear up the question why Yami has this kind of power in the next chapter. I already have another idea so I can bring more characters in!

One thing to say, though. *starts crying hysterically* I feel so sorry for Yugi and Yami, especially Yami since he got hurt with a knife! I really DO NOT enjoy torturing the characters, well, except for Anzu. I'll try to never hurt these two ever again! They just too cute and cool! So please don't get mad at me for making them suffer so much!

Please r/r! 


	6. Chapter 6: The Nurse's Office Part 1

WOWEEEEE!!!!! I'm soooooo happy!!!! I finally got 100 reviews!!!! ^_____________^ Even past 100 too!!! I would just like to thank everyone who reviewed! You are all sooooo kind! You are wonderful, absolutely wonderful people!!! And to think this was my first fic…with my complete lack of experience, I managed to get 119 reviews with just 5 chapters!  Next goal I have in mind…150 reviews! Doable? Maybe…

Ah, well! Oh, yes. About the contest thing. I know it was insanely easy. That was the point. Next time, if there is one, I'll make the question really hard, but the prize will be really good. Unbalanced was the first person to tell me the attack was Mind Crush,, but did not tell me what kind of fluff scene he or she wanted. If you are reading this, Unbalanced, would you mind telling me soon, or do you just want to not suggest anything and give the chance to someone else? I'll be waiting.

I am also really happy that I am on the favorites list of 6 people! I just found out yesterday! I don't know what 6 means to most people, but to me, that's a lot! People actually like my writing! Or this story, at least. Thank you goddess of insanity and pauru, KawaiiAngel4, r*a*d*i*a*n*y, akusennin, Klonoa, and Gege-kat for putting me on their favorite authors list! And thank you SSJ Sky for putting me on your favorite stories list! Um, for the other people who put my story on their list, I don't know who you are since the system can't keep track of that, but thank you all! 

I have one question, though. Is it okay for me to rant and write this much before starting the actual chapter? Before, I kept the notes in the beginning short, but recently I like to write a lot. I also know some people just skip this entire section and start with the fic itself. If these paragraphs are bothering you, say so! 

Okay, the disclaimer.

Yami: X__X

Yugi: He's still passed out.

Yugi! *smiles happily* When did you get here?

Yugi: Just now. Since you just made him faint in the last chapter, he can't say anything.

True…Hey, wait!  How come he was able to speak at the end of chapter 5, then?

Yugi: Oh…um…that…Ahm…

Yami: *lifts head up* Darn! She remembered!

Of course I did. It's only been 3 days. Besides, I saw you breathing. You really wouldn't make a good actor, would you?

Yami: …

But I still love you!

Yami: ^  _  ^' …Thanks?

Yugi: Awwww…You look cute when you're pouty!

Yami: What? No! That's your job!

Yes, he's very kawaii indeed, isn't he?

Yugi: *blushes* …………Yami, I love you.

Yami: Nani? *turns red* Where did that---

Hush! Save that for later! Now is not the time!

Yugi: *giggles* I just wanted to see how he would react.

Yami: *still pink* Oh…um…well…

All right! All right! Break it up! Both of you, forget you were ever here! That's not supposed to happen until later, k? Geez…you guys weren't supposed to have read the summary…

Yami: So…we'll be leaving now, then.

OH NO YOU DON"T!! SAY THE DISCLAIMER NOW! YOU"RE BORING THE READER!!!!

Yami: Eep! O . o' Yu-Gi-Oh does not belong to this crazy authoress! This fic is Yugi/Yami and contains shounen-ai and all that other stuff! Um, yeah…And Anzu is going to be mistreated too! So if you don't approve of any of this…especially you, JOE…then DON'T READ!!

Without further ado, Chapter 6!

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Chapter 6

The three students rushed to the nurse's office, Bakura and Malik working together to support Yami's weight. They had also tried to help Yugi, be he insisted they should focus on the unconscious person, not him.

"It's just a little further…" Malik said, trying to be helpful when he saw the desperate and impatient look on Yugi's face. When they finally reached the infirmary, they all gasped in unison. A line was making its way out of the small, crowded room and trailed across the hall. Almost all the boys of the school and some girls were waiting, their hair ruffled, scrapes on their arms, legs, and cheeks, and footmarks on their clothing. No doubt they had all been trampled by the herd of fangirls. 

"What's going on here? An epidemic?" Yugi and Malik both sweatdropped at Bakura's naïveté.

"No…Remember the big crowd of girls who were running around outside on the football field?" It took a moment for Bakura to recall the scene.

"Oh, yeah…" he replied. "What were they doing?" 

"Chasing after Yami," Malik explained, pointing to the figure in their arms. "Weren't you here this morning when he came in?" Bakura's eyes finally lit up with the realization of what was happening, and he felt embarrassment wash over him for being so clueless.

"Please, we don't have much time," Yugi said urgently. "Yami might be dying…and-and…"

"Don't worry. I'm sure the nurse will have an emergency room of sorts." As the three came closer, they saw Kaiba and Jounouchi among the others. Both of them were looking pretty embarrassed for having let a swarm of girls knock them to the dirt. They had been eating outside like they usually did until two blurs of red, black, and tint of yellow zipped past them. The rumbling in the distance was the only warning they got until they were practically pummeled by the hundreds of feet, particularly those wearing high-heels. The marks of the strong material would forever leave remain.

"Ugh…stupid girls…" Jou complained, leaning on the wall for support. Neither of them seemed any more cheerful when they saw the new visitors to the nurse's office. They simply eyed them warily.

"Got trampled, huh?" Malik couldn't help but tease. Unexpectedly, though, Jounouchi didn't object or try to strangle him. He and Kaiba only nodded sourly, the injuries and humiliation really having sapped their strength.

"Leave them be," Bakura whispered. "We've got an emergency." Malik nodded and together, they attempted to squeeze in through the crowd of patients. After some time of pushing and a lot of "excuse me"s and "sorry"s, they finally got to the nurse's desk. The clerk lifted her head from her work and looked up at them expectantly.

"We have someone who's in critical condition," Malik said, heaving Yami's limp and bloodied body into view. The clerk's eyes widened, but she quickly telephoned the nurse who was currently in another room treating a patient. 

After conversing, she said to the three boys sadly, "I'm sorry, but the nurse is busy right now with another unconscious person. But I can get you a room and anyone who knows first-aid can treat him." She paused, took a look at Yami, and winced. "Poor thing…He's rather cute, isn't he?"

(Yami: Why do people call _me_ cute? I am not cute! Yugi's the one who's supposed to be cute!

A/N: Quiet, you! It's my fic, and I say you're cute! Especially when I draw you in chibi form! But you're right, Yugi's also very cute as well! Ahem. Sorry for the interruption. Please continue.)

Yugi, Bakura, and Malik felt like gagging. What did Yami have? Some kind of female-attracting power? What about old ladies? They pushed aside the disturbing thought and rushed him to an empty room. Luckily, there was a first-aid kid complete with bandages, gauzes, and whatnot. They worked fast, laying Yami on the white sheeted bed. There were so many wounds that they didn't know where to start. 

They decided to split up the work. Malik and Bakura were skilled with tending to injuries and their nimble fingers made quick work of the cuts on Yami's arms and forehead. Yugi, however, was so panicky that his hands shook and he couldn't wrap anything correctly. He prayed to every God he knew of that Yami was still alive, and was rewarded with a faint pulse in his wrist.

"Yugi, could you help with this neck buckle here? You wear one, so you know how to unclasp it," Malik beckoned the boy over. Yugi did as he was told, quickly removing the stained buckle. As he did, his fingers brushed over Yami's neck and was shocked to find the skin clammy and cold. More blood began to seep out of a wound in his side, turning the black leather a deep crimson. Bakura finished bandaging Yami's arms and tended to that. 

"Do you think you could help remove his shirt as well, Yugi?" he asked. Yugi felt a streak of warmth spread across his cheeks.

"Sure…" While he peeled off what was left of the tatteried article of clothing, Bakura treated the injuries. They were surprised at the numerous stabs and bruises covering the otherwise perfectly tanned skin. Yugi focused hard on Yami's face to keep his eyes from drifting to places they shouldn't. But then he found himself tracing over every detail of the patient's features, the curve of his cheek, the almost peaceful expression the closed Egyptian-looking eyes held. It was as if the white bandages weren't even there, blocking some parts of his face. He looked so…There was no word Yugi could think of to describe him.

The small rustle of clothing caught his attention. He turned to glance at Malik curiously. He really shouldn't have. The sandy-haired teen was tossing Yami's ruined leather pants to the side to pile on top of the other dirtied clothing. 'Dear Lord…' Yugi hastily averted his gaze back to Yami's face, but that didn't seem to help, so he stared at the whiteness of the room's wall.

"What are you doing, Yugi?" Bakura inquired.

"Um…I…" Before Yugi could answer, Bakura turned back to his work.

"Oh, my gosh. He seems to have broken a rib," Bakura gasped.

"I'll take care of it, dearie," Just then, Mrs. Saki, the nurse, finally came in, relieving the boys of their duty. She was even impressed with the handiwork they had done. Malik and Bakura sighed and headed off to the bathroom to wash their hands, but Yugi remained, silently watching. The nurse then took notice of him. "Why, you've got some serious injuries too," she noted, looking at Yugi's broken finger and the black and blue swellings on his creamy white skin.

"I'm okay, Mrs. Saki," he replied. "I'm just worried about my friend. Will he be all right?"

"Hmmm…" the nurse examined Yami more closely. "I'm really not sure, honey. He's lost a lot of blood, but I'll try my best." Yugi tried to suppress the tears that threatened to fall all over again.

"Thank you," he murmured, blinking rapidly as he exited the room, heading to join Bakura and Malik. "Please take good care of him…"

"I will," Mrs. Saki nodded. 

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_~Dream sequence~_

_"Blue Eyes White Dragon! Attack!!" a loud voice commanded. It belonged to one of the powerful high priests of Ancient Egypt. He wore a turban with a golden snake embedded on it, baggy robe-like pants, and a massive cape that swished with his every movement. On his raised arms were also beautiful golden arm bands, indicating his power. But his face was shadowed and unable to be recognized._

_The magical apparition of a huge, pale blue dragon followed the orders of its owner and shot out a blast of white lightening to the enemy, which was a measly Harpy's Pet Dragon. The attack obliterated the monster completely, taking along a portion of the hooded spell chanters behind the opponent. The other person cursed, but began reciting a new spell._

_In a few moments, another stone tablet rose from the ground and glowed in an eerie blue light, supported by more of the cloaked figures' words and the Black Luster Soldier materialized. "Attack with Chaos Blade!" he ordered the newly summoned dark knight._

_"Go, Blue Eyes!!" The two creatures sparred head on, but neither gave in. Their numerous attacks all ended in a stalemate, and neither person had the right kind of magic tablet to raise their own monster's attack power._

_"Enough!" The room fell silent as the person who had been watching the fight spoke. He stood up in front of the battlefield, his maroon cape blew slightly in the wind. His clothing was similar to the priest's, only dark red in color and not blue, and somehow his face was not distinguishable either. "Since there are an equal number of life points (those hooded magician thingies) and a stand-off between the two monsters, the match is a tie! You will decide the winner in a tie-breaker!" With that, he stretched out his arm and raised his hand. "Let the game begin!" he announced, the pyramid-shaped ornament around his neck glowing._

_Then, the room was engulfed in darkness…_

_~End dream sequence~_

"Mmm…" Yami moaned, half in sleep and half in pain. It took an enormous amount of effort to open even one eye only to be met with a blurry view and cause his headache to worsen. He still wasn't quite aware of his surroundings, but he was already too confused as it was. He remembered vividly the dream he had while unconscious. It was like he was actually there to see it. All those mysterious people…Who were they? How come the images of the dream were so clear in his mind even after he awoke? It felt so…familiar to him, but how could that be? 'It was only a dream, right?'

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Okay, I'm done. Ack. Nothing much happened here, did it? But you can probably guess now why Yami has that Mind Crush attack. Obvious, isn't it? And you might be wondering where the heck is that Millennium Puzzle? I'm getting to that…in the next few chapters, okay?

Also, please try to respond soon, Unbalanced, because we need a fluffy idea, and what better time to create mushy, gooey, syrupy sweet fluff than when pain has been inflicted? Oh, YuugiLover3, you have a very good idea going. If no one says anything, I think I'll put in your suggested scene because it's sooo sweet and cute! You'll get loads of credit, don't worry. I would really appreciate it if you sent in ideas. I will make fluff one day. I don't know when, but I will. I promise. ^ _ ~

So, um, please r/r!


	7. Chapter 7: The Nurse's Office Part 2

Am I seeing correctly? 144 reviews? Sugoi!!! (Wow) Yes, I'm aware that my last chapter was on the short side and not as good as chapter 5. I'll try my best on chapter 7. Okay, I decided on a really fluffy idea, so I'm just warning you there is major fluff ahead. And, of course, it's Yami/Yugi fluff. Also, when I reread the last chapter just now, I discovered something. You guys _do_ know Yami wears underwear, right? Um, so when Malik was bandaging his legs, he was still wearing something. Thank god. I don't think I could resist myself if I were in the room right there…

Ahem. Also, a note. Their school's infirmary has rooms for overnight stay, so Yami and Yugi both spent the night there. Yugi had injuries too, you know, but not quite as severe.

Yami: Yah, but he still broke a bone.

Are you in the position to complain? You've broken several bones, including your rib cage! Do you want me to add some more pain?

Yami: *shakes head*

Good, now get back to where you were.

Yami: *disappears without objection*

…Oh, no…I just made a mistake of sending him away before he read the disclaimer! Do I have to do it _again_? I mean, the only people who would bother reading this chapter must have read the others already… But for the sake of not getting sued, I will say it once again. I, the authoress, pledge that I do not own this anime, Yu-Gi-Oh (Yo Xi Wang in Mandarin Chinese. Yup, you were right, Kawaii Malik and Yami-chan), and I never will. Unless some miracle happens. If that does, I will only keep Yami and Yugi for myself and the rest is free game! And there is yaoi and shounen-ai and stuff like that in here and slight Anzu bashing. One day she will get what's coming to her…

Here's chapter 7!

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It was still dark outside when Yami fully regained his senses. He felt a ringing in his ears and stinging aches throughout his whole body, but other than that he was okay. Little by little, he remembered what had caused him to wind up in such a position. A wave of panic shot through him when he wondered what happened to Yugi. Ushio was finally taken care of, but Yugi already had taken quite a beating. What if he was still in the basement, unconscious, unnoticed by the people who had found them but only paid attention to the body in the pool of bright blood? Yami couldn't find the strength to think anymore, and he drifted off to sleep once again, half hoping he would discover the outcome of the strange dream he just had.

Meanwhile, Yugi was having a terrible nightmare in the room next door. Sweat beaded on his face as he was engulfed deeper within the realistic images and sounds.

_~Dream Sequence~_

_It had started out okay. It was morning, the sun was shining through the blinds, but there were no birds singing. Yugi woke up sleepily, feeling his entire body ache, and noticed the many bandages on his body. It brought back a rush of yesterday's memories. Of Ushio and Yami's fight._

_'Oh, Yami!' he thought, scrambling out of bed as fast as he could manage despite the pain. He remembered he had slept in the room next to the one Yami was in, so it shouldn't be far. He creaked open the door quietly so not to disturb the other patients and stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind him. Big mistake. He looked up and saw that the hallway's dimensions were twisted, multi-colored, and swirling in a neverending pattern. The checkered tiles of the floor were now on the walls and ceiling, along with some doors. Yugi blinked nervously, but took a step forward. The instant he left the doorway to his room, the door vanished as well, mixing into the chaotic dimensions. He was trapped._

_Deciding there was nothing to lose, Yugi ventured to his left, where Yami's room was supposed to be. He walked with one hand on the wall for what seemed to be 10 minutes, but he never brushed upon a doorway or even a turn. It was just plain marble wall. 'Wait…since when does our nurse's office have walls made of marble?' he pondered. The more he wandered around in the confusing hallway, the more he felt  fear creeping into him. "This is silly! There has to be a way to find Yami's room!" he said out loud to reassure himself._

_As if by magic, a door materialized in front of him, but it wasn't attached to the wall. It was just there in midair. It took a second before he got the courage to open it. He peeked inside only to find a row of stalls neatly arranged and painted brand new in dark navy blue. The sinks and other objects told him he was in the men's bathroom. He exited the room, disappointed. It seemed like the dimensions here were all contorted, but your voice could affect it. He tried another approach._

_"I wish I could find the men's bathroom," he said. Another door appeared behind him, and he eagerly went in to see if he had gotten it right. He saw another student, one he didn't know, wrapped in so many layers that he looked like a mummy. He could tell it wasn't Yami by the eyes. Sighing, he turned back again. This really was puzzling. The only method he could use was trial and error._

_After a long while, he had called out the names of almost 50 different rooms, making up the patients' names. It didn't work. The men's bathroom kept repeating itself, but it was strange that no one was in there after all that time. Finally, Yugi gave up. He sat down on the supposed floor and wept. How long had it been since he had waken up? Yami might have already left…or…He couldn't bear to think of that. Vainly, he tried to wipe away the moist tears, but they still fell. He had never felt so alone in his whole life. At least before, he had his grandpa and before that, his parents. Now they were all gone, and he was lost in a turmoil of colors, walls, doors, and drinking fountains. _

_Suddenly, he felt an arctic chill brush his shoulder. The contact, although slight, was enough to penetrate to the marrow in his bones and caused his whole body to feel like it was freezing to death. He quickly turned his gaze to the  source, and caught a vague glimpse of a light blue wisp. Curious, he followed it, hoping it would lead him out of the hallway. He was careful to always keep it in sight. After a few minutes, the bluish smoke finally entered through the crack of a door, and Yugi wasted no time in entering the room as well. _

_What he saw nearly made his blood run cold with fear. It was Yami's room! And Yami was there, eyes closed, lying on the bed, apparently resting. Under any other circumstances, Yugi would have been overjoyed to see him, but not this time. He watched with wide eyes as the blue wisp took shape and formed the silhouette of a woman, her features vague against her light blue skin. The floor he walked on seemed to frost over as she almost glided over to Yami's bedside. The room itself even seemed to turn blue and white, like inside an igloo. Yugi bit his lip in horror, somehow knowing what the purpose of this icy woman was, but he couldn't move at all, not even to save his only friend…_

_He was forced to watch the ghostly apparition touch her hand to Yami's forehead, her body emitting an eerie glow as she applied energy to the sleeping figure. A wispy cloud of a reddish orange color seeped out from Yami's slightly open mouth and into her hand. It had represented warmth and life, but upon reaching the grasp of the deadly spirit, it turned a pale blue, matching the color of the woman's skin. She withdrew her hand, satisfied, and almost immediately Yami's face slowly drained of color. The innocent look of rest was the last he had ever had. With another chilly breeze, the bluish form was swept away._

_It left Yugi staring at the doorway, his knees buckling together was the only way he could remain standing. He didn't dare to believe it. He couldn't. He couldn't accept the fact the Angel of Death had taken away what had meant so much to him. His body was still frozen, but it wasn't of fear and horror anymore, it was of despair and grief, something so excruciatingly painful that he couldn't bear it anymore and collapsed to the linoleum floor. Through his tears, the scene kept on replaying through his head. The feeling of wanting to help, yet not being able to…He couldn't do anything to stop it…He couldn't…He had let Yami… _

_~End Dream~_

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!" he yelled, kicking at the sheets which caused his him to become tangled and roll off the bed. He hit the floor with a thud, but the impact was hardly important. Through the tears that stung his eyes, all he saw was a blur of white. 'White…like in heaven…' Finally, though, he was able to register his surroundings. He crawled out of the mess of sheets, soaked in sweat and face streaked with tears. His bottom lip quivered as he choked down his sobs. 'Please tell me that was just a dream…'

With legs that were as wobbly as jelly, he stood up barefoot and headed to the room next door. 'I just hope…' His entire body felt numb so the chill of the tiled floor didn't affect his feet. He was somewhat relieved to find the hallway was back to normal, but he still couldn't suppress the feeling of dread. His heart was beating wildly when he finally turned the silver doorknob leading into Yami's room. 

The creaking of the door caused Yami to stir and awaken. He blinked drowsily until the small figure of Yugi came into focus. "Yugi?" he asked softly.

"Yami?" the small one whispered back. Silence filled the room. "YAMI!!!" Yugi cried, practically running to Yami's side, tears of relief and happiness cascading down his cheeks. "Y-you're okay!!!" he said, throwing his arms around the older one's neck, the one place he saw which didn't have major injuries. Yami was as confused as ever, but he moved his hands to pat the boy to keep him from shaking so much. He didn't want to question until Yugi had calmed down so he just enjoyed the hug. It was just that his whole body hurt so much…"I…had…a dream…and…I thought I…lost you…" Yugi whispered, voice muffled by Yami's cheek. He then realized he was hurting Yami and hastily drew back. "Sorry…"

"It's okay…" Yami replied weakly, his lungs struggling to allow him to breathe properly. His chest really hurt from the crushing blows Ushio delivered to him. Yugi looked on with sad eyes.

"Yami, you've been hurt really badly…You…you didn't have to fight Ushio…" 

"I had to…rescue you…Yugi," Yami said with a small smile. "I didn't want…you to get hurt…" His eyes trailed over all the bruises on the smaller one's body. "But…you still did…"

Yugi shook his head, almost violently. "No! These are nothing! I mean, look at you! I'm fine…" Yami slowly reached out to take one of Yugi's hands in his own. Yugi blushed at the pleasant warmness of Yami's hand. Thank god it wasn't ice cold, like in the dream…

"Your finger…" Yugi blinked, then realized Yami was referring to the one Ushio broke.

"Oh, um, it's nothing,!" he insisted. But even after, Yami still held on to it, and ran his thumb lightly across the knuckles. Yugi thought he might have been testing for more broken bones. As Yami inspected further and moved on to his other hand, Yugi couldn't help but notice the concerned look in the other's eyes. After finishing, Yami lifted his gaze and their eyes met. Ruby red locked on soft amethyst. It was enough to make them both become speechless. Finally Yugi broke the silence. "Yami, are you always this…selfless? Why did you just risk your life for me?" He felt his face heat up at the question.

"For the first one, I don't know. But I think friendship matters a lot. I guess I would do anything for a friend. As for the second one, I did it because you're a really important friend to me. Even though we haven't known each other long, I feel like we're close. You've always been there to see the bright side of any situation. I don't remember anyone who is as cheerful and carefree as you…" His surprisingly smooth speech as cut off by a fit of soft coughs.

"That's not true at all! You don't know me the way I was before. People all thought I was weird, but you were didn't care and dared to get to know me! I should be the one thanking you! You've always been so good to me…You've given me rides, protected me from Ushio so many times, and even switched to my school! I…I've never had anyone care about me so much…I've always been picked on or ignored…And you…you've made me feel so… special…" Yugi's eyes shifted back to see Yami was still holding his hand, and felt a strange new sensation bubble within his heart. He couldn't believe he meant so much to Yami that he had willingly risked his life. It felt so…good. No, "good" wasn't quite the word.

At the same time, Yami was pretty much experiencing a similar feeling. He looked at Yugi's angelic face, the perfect image of innocence, his eyes were sparkling like beautiful, bright gems, clearly showing his gratitude and perhaps something else…He wondered how lucky he was to have met him. It was true that he had done a lot for the little one, but it had all been repaid and more. The fun he had introduced into Yami's life, especially with such parents as the ones he had…His friends meant everything to him. They were the sole reason he had to live. And Yugi had really been something special. How many times had Yami laughed when he was with him? He had always been known to be a serious boy who didn't smile too often, but his kind and generous nature caused many people to like him.

Their eyes met once again, and it held for what seemed like an eternity. Yugi got lost in the loveliness of the perfect shade of red…not too light to make Yami look scary and not too dark to make them seem brown. Just right in the middle…Neither of them noticed it as their faces came closer together, the tips of both of their golden blond bangs touching. (A/N: It's like in the fourth episode of the battle with Pegasus in the Shadow Realm and Yugi wanted to come out so Pegasus couldn't read Yami's mind. They came so close it wasn't even funny, but then the puzzle glowed and they passed right through each other. Sigh… ) It was such a slow, gradual motion that it almost seemed like it was another dream…A good dream for once. Their lips almost brushed, when…

"Yami!" an annoying voice screeched, the door being flung open as a panting, familiar brunette burst into the room. Yugi and Yami pulled back simultaneously in sudden realization and surprise and turned to look at the intruder who was so busy catching her breath she didn't see them. She lifted her head up, hair swinging in her face and put on the biggest smile she could ever manage. "Oh, I am _so_ glad you are okay!" Completely ignoring Yugi, she pushed him aside and held out a bouquet of flowers. "Here! A get-well present! I made it myself!"

"Er…" Yami looked in disgust at the wrinkly, dried up flowers and their faded colors. However, he still didn't know what Anzu was like, so he didn't want to hurt her feelings. "Thank you…" he said, accepting the ugly gift, if you could call it a gift at all. Anzu smirked, like she had Yami already.

"And I also was the first one to get here. Hmph, what a surprise," she said sarcastically, taking out her make up mirror and starting to fix her REALLY tangled hair. Yami exchanged glances with Yugi, both of which silently remarked, "Ew…" They felt like pushing Anzu out of the window, but sadly, the room was on the first floor.

"Why were you running?" Yugi asked. Anzu whipped around, just noticing him there. 

"Oh, there is a lot of competition," she signaled to the main room of the nurse's office. As if on cue, the stomping and clicking of high-heeled shoes was heard and the room seemed to rumble slightly.

'Oh, no…' Both Yami and Yugi thought.

"Yay! We found Yami!" one of the girls said, looking through the open door. The rest of them followed right after, bearing the most sickly delighted smiles anyone had ever seen. 

"Aw, he's hurt," another one said. Yami looked at all of them blankly, a sweatdrop forming on the side of his head and his face in the most adorable little pout. (A/N: I've really seen it before too. In episode 53 in the Japanese version, when he went with Anzu to an arcade and Anzu went to challenge some dude to a dancing game, Yami pouted like that! It was adorable! I hope they show it in America soon…)

"KAWAII!!!!" All of them practically shouted, pink circles forming on their cheeks. (A/N: You know what I mean, right?) They rushed forward, but knew enough not to smother Yami because he was obviously severely injured, and held out flowers, chocolates, gift cards, and all sorts of other presents and whatnot. Yugi, thankfully, was half on Yami's bed so he wasn't pushed aside by the wave of girls. Anzu, on the other hand, was. The crowd was so huge she was pressed against the window.

'Darn. Why couldn't that window have been open?' Yugi thought. He, unlike Yami, knew about Anzu and her reputation of dumping boyfriend after boyfriend for another one. It disgusted him, but he never had the courage or any reason to say so since none of his classmates cared about his opinion. 

Anzu growled in rage. 'That's the second time they've foiled my plans. I've got to get Yami by himself…' But since she couldn't move, she just stayed in that uncomfortable position, being squeezed against the frosty glass, which were freezing her bare arms off.

"Um, thanks…" Yami flustered. He actually thought it was pretty sweet of all these girls to have gotten him something. 'It figures. Even when I'm injured, they still come after me.'

"All right, girls! Break it up!" the desk clerk came with two burly policemen by her side. Her glasses were tilted and her hair was messed up, having been simply ignored and trampled by the stampede of girls. The policemen held their wooden sticks in a threatening manner, ready to take charge if anything bad should happen. The girls were well aware of them, so they obediently left the room, often glancing back at the person in bed. Anzu followed too.

"I'll be back," she said with a wink. Yami could've felt like puking, but he was already sick enough.

"Well, I'd better get going too," Yugi added wistfully. "I hope you recover soon. You'll be at your house, right? I'll bring you your homework."

"Yeah, thanks. So, um, see you tomorrow."

"Bye." After Yugi left, the clerk closed the door and she and the policemen walked back to their respective duties. Yami sighed and lied back down in bed. Truthfully, he didn't want Yugi to leave. What had that been all about? He recalled suddenly how close Yugi had been, how his soft lips had been slightly parted and how his eyes had remained locked on his. Those large, cute violet eyes, so much unlike his own…The way they shone clearly when he was talking about the Dark Magician and how they were clouded with fear or sorrow like a few moments ago. Yami had looked at them so often that he could almost memorize them. Just then, a new, almost alarming thought hit him.

'Could it be?'

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Done now! That was a looong chapter…or at least I think it was. Whopee…It's 1:21 in the morning and I'm still typing this. Anyway, I know the whole Angel of Death thing might be confusing. I got it from a movie on Cartoon Network called "The True Story of Santa Claus" or something like that. It just found it so scary, but that's just my opinion. The whole take-away-your-soul concept. So I used it in this fic. But the spirit is not my original idea.

And also, loads of credit to YuugiLover3 and her cool idea of Yugi having a dream that Yami dies. It was such a sweet idea…Why didn't I think of it? Anyway, I'm sorry that Anzu had to ruin the moment (again!) She really should have been pushed out of the window…And, as I told you, I don't have experience because I have never written a yaoi fic or even a regular romance fic before. I used to never think of stuff like that until around 8th grade. Sad, huh? So, I'm not sure if this chapter would count as fluffy. So please tell me what you thought of my attempted fluff scene. I'll try to do better next time.

Oh, by the way, now I'm on the favorites list of 3 more people! Wow! ^_____^ Thank you Millenia Star, Princess Stari, and fuzzish! I am happy!! 

Please r/r!  


	8. Chapter 8: Going Home

~^___________^~ THANK YOU EVERYONE!! You liked my fluff! You actually liked it! 178 Reviews and now on 21 people's favorites list! Thank you the one who possesses Insanity, Guardian-381, Angel Hikari, Silver Dragon, Raye Yuy, Wishful Thinker, The Pharaohs Light and Dark, KaTyA, difinity, CruelFeline, GenandCaver, and Liquid Shadow!! (OMG! @o@ So many!!) I'm soooo happy!! I could die right now and not care! I can't believe how fast I got to 150 reviews! Thank you so much! That gives me more confidence, so now I'm aiming for 250!

Yami: That's quite a high goal.

What are you trying to say?

Yami: You might not reach it.

Are you always this pessimistic? Fine, I'll lower it to 225. That's a good number, I think. Anyways, something's wrong! You know how you get e-mailed when you have a new review? Well, I don't get any anymore even when I have it set on "yes" in the Review Alert section and I have to wait almost 24 hours for it to show up on the review screen! I wonder what's wrong...Please, if anyone knows what's going on, tell me how to fix it.

Yami: She doesn't like to wait and be a day behind.

Exactly! I keep on seeing on the stats page I have a certain number of reviews, but I can't know what they are and the mailbox never has anything from ff.net ever since I posted chapter 7! *sniff* Weird computer...

But now back to happiness! ^ __ ^ Oh, AuroraDragonKaya, thanks for telling me sugoi means "wonderful" and not "wow." Strange, I always thought it did...But oh, well! And Angel Hikari, I understand why you think my name's supposed to be spelled You Xi Wang. I think both ways work. I just didn't want people pronouncing the first part like "you," the pronoun.

Oh, and sorry for the long wait. Halloween came and I was just a bit too excited…I got lots of candy though, but sadly, my mom doesn't let me eat more than one piece per day…;_; Plus I had a LOT of homework to worry about such as this BIG long-term project…and I still do, but I'm doing this first!

And Yami's okay! How are you feeling, Yami?

Yami: Painful. *all the bandages extremely noticeable* Happy...and confused.

*smiles knowingly* Well, as long as you're happy, that's good. You can now do the disclaimer!

Yami: *pouts*

OMG! The cute pout again! In person! *glomps Yami* KAWAII!!

Yami: Ow...

Oh, no! I'm so sorry! Here, I've got this pain reliever. *shakes a small bottle* But you can have this only if you say the disclaimer. And hopefully, this will be the last time. I think the one who possesses Insanity gave him a letter saying he can't do the disclaimer. Um, I'm not sure if that means it keeps Yami from saying it, so could you please clear up my confusion? And soon?

Yami: *grumbles* Yo(u) Xi Wang does not own Yu-Gi-Oh. There is *smiles* Yugi/Yami yaoi in here and *smiles even more* Anzu bashing! Cool! Will you make her suffer?

You don't like her?

Yami: Are you out of your mind? She ruined the moment and she's so...ugh...there's no word for her exactly.

Annoying? Obnoxious? Rude? Arrogant? Oh, there's plenty I can think of. Ah, so you did know about that fluffy moment...

Yami: *blushes*

So cute... ^ - ^ But you're supposed to be confused. Anyway, here's your medicine, and here's the chapter!

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Chapter 8

With encouragement from Yugi and his other friends who came to visit, Yami was slowly, but surely, recovering. Unfortunately, he couldn't move for days and therefore had to stay in the nurse's office, so it was very convenient for Yugi to visit him and give him his homework, not like he was able to actually do them, though. 

Many times a day, Yugi had tried to call his parents, but their line was always either busy or they weren't at home and after about 20 rings of the phone, Yugi gave up. He felt really bad that he couldn't contact Yami's parents and tell them about their son's accident, but he really couldn't do anything about it. Yami's house was just too far away.

When Yami wasn't around, Yugi felt a part of him was missing. He had grown very attached to the brave, handsome savior, but he knew it was wrong of him to want Yami around all the time for himself. Plus the fact that other people treated him the same way they always did didn't help. After the incident, neither Bakura, Malik, Jounouchi, or Kaiba spoke to him although Bakura sometimes said "hi" when he saw Yugi. The fangirls had also apparently calmed down enough to behave in class. Anzu these days was often lounging in the corner at lunch, definitely cooking up some kind of plan. (A/N: Stupid girl. Still doesn't realize Yami is Yugi's and Yugi's alone... - _ -')

Yugi sighed, resting his head in his hand and jotting down the teacher's notes absentmindedly. It was so boring in class. He felt lonelier than ever, but thankfully he had something to look forward to at the end of the day-his brief hour with Yami. It was a new nurse policy that a visitor could not spend more than an hour with a patient ever since the clerk had been trampled by the herd of girls. They had become more cautious of the potential of students from that day on. 

Yugi giggled, remembering the strange situation with all the chocolates, flowers, and cards wildly competing against each other to be the first to reach Yami's hands. His thoughts fell back on the near kiss. Of course, being innocent and slightly naive, he didn't remember it by the fact that it _was_ a near kiss. He was confused by the rush of emotions and the rapid beating of his heart when he was in such close quarters with Yami. He knew the boy was special, no doubt about that. Even now, Yami was still his one and only friend, and that in itself meant a lot to him. Having never experience friendship before, Yugi didn't know that what he was feeling was beyond friendship. He had finally decided to dismiss it as a really close friendly affection. (A/N: Too bad he doesn't know what it really is...) 

Yami, on the other hand, knew more about these matters. He had found that the joy that sprouted within him grew with each and every time Yugi came to visit until he was delighted and happy just by the mentioning of Yugi's name even though his whole body was in pain. The sweetness of Yugi's actions always brought a broad smile to his face. For the past few days, Yugi had brought him some fresh lilacs, many get well cards, toys and games to keep them entertained, and their dueling decks, a constant reminder of their shared interests such as with the Dark Magician. Yami couldn't play most of the games correctly, but Yugi twisted the rules and made it fun all the same. 

That was the magic of Yugi. When you got to know him, he was as sweet and loyal and caring as anybody could be. He had that sort of charm, a bit childish, yes, but cute and heart-warming, that was able to make the hearts of most people, especially mothers, melt at the sight of him. It was a shame no one paid attention to him and only saw his weak, fragile, quiet, and slightly game-obsessed side. In a way, Yami was glad for that as well. If people only knew what a great person Yugi was, Yugi would be spending time with them, taking away from Yami's own time with him. He knew it was selfish of him to want Yugi for himself, but the boy was just so interesting, so kind-hearted, so beautiful and heavenly pure...He was like nothing Yami had ever seen. How could it be that it was Yugi's own fault that people didn't like him? Yami couldn't imagine Yugi being anything else from what he was from the day they met. A person's personality couldn't change just from meeting someone, could it?

He laid back and sank into the feathery pillow. He had been stuck in the same bed for days, not being able to move, and he was sure he would be having major cramps of some sort when he finally got out of the infirmary. However, his main focus was on Yugi and he was eagerly awaiting the last bell of the day which would signal the small boy's daily visit. It rang as if answering his wishes. Within a few minutes, the pitter patter of feet could be heard before the door swung open and in came a very energetic Yugi carrying a bunch of action figures in his arms.

"Hi, Yami!" he said, going up to his bedside and dumping the toys in the empty space on the mattress. "Look! I brought these!" Holding up a gadget with the handle of a gun and a flat platform attached on top, he explained how the game worked. "You see, you fit your monster into here…" he pointed at a slot for the feet, "And you control it with the trigger. Once you connect two platform-guns, you can fight against other people until one of their figurines is knocked out of the ring! Wanna play?"

Yami smiled fondly at the boy's enthusiasm and momentarily decided to drop his thoughts on what was going on with him to just spend time wholeheartedly with Yugi. After all, his other explanation he had thought of a few days ago just _couldn't_ be it, could it? "Sure," he replied and picked up the gadget and some monsters to examine them. He fit one in and fiddled with it to make sure it worked and was surprised when the controls were very smooth and easy to execute. This game would be easy to master.

"We'll take turns selecting our monsters, then. I want this one!" Yugi said as he snatched a magic-user with a staff that swirled with the movement of the trigger. It was clear it resembled the Dark Magician, his favorite Duel Monsters card.

"Okay, Yugi. I pick this one. Prepare to lose," Yami smirked confidently, selecting a barbarian-looking action figure. This was going to be an interesting afternoon…

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After more than a week, Yami was almost fully healed and ready to go home. Luckily, he was one of those people who recovered well from injuries, so he could do all the things he was able to do before. Yugi, like he had promised, had gotten all his homework for him and sorted it all into a nice packet which Yami would work on in his free time at home. It was another Friday, so it gave him an good opportunity to catch up over the weekend. They were currently riding on Yami's motorcycle, on their way to the Game Shop.

Yugi was especially careful to not grip too tightly to the driver for he was still sore and the slightest contact would have caused him pain. Nature also seemed to work in their favor as well. It was a day where there was no breeze whatsoever, so the wind wasn't as forceful as usual. Yugi sighed, warm and happy, even feeling a little bit "fuzzy" while he held onto Yami's body gently. He loved being this close and so relieved to know Yami was back to his normal self, even the rich masculine scent of him was back to tickle his nostrils. It made him feel drowsy, but in a good way, and feeling safe from the inside out, although he felt safer when in Yami's arms the proper way. He had sometimes wished for Yami to hold him like that again, but he knew it would take desperate measures to be granted that kind of treatment. He had been crying that day uncontrollably, after all. Neither said a word the entire trip, but it was one of those good silences that hung in the atmosphere that day, after more than a week of not experiencing the pleasures of speeding down the road together.

The vehicle came to a halt and made a perfect park in front of the Game Shop. Sugoroku was sweeping outside and welcomed them both heartily. "Hey, Grandpa!" Yugi said, hopping off the seat, his book bag jingled with the many toys he had brought. Then, with the biggest smile he could ever muster, he bid Yami farewell. "Goodbye, Yami!" He smiled sweetly. "I'll see you Monday!"

Yami felt his cheeks warm up at such an adorable gesture. The young boy was so happy…Was it really all because of him? He nodded slightly, fumbling for words, and responded, "See you." To his surprise, Yugi threw his arms around him in one last hug. The taller boy froze for a brief moment, but then returned the embrace, allowing himself to fall into a few seconds of heaven.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he heard Yugi whisper into his shoulder. It caused him to feel so content, so complete, and he was sure the other was feeling the same. Yugi pulled back, leaving a dazed, but very happy Yami who grinned from ear to ear, his face also a bit hot, but the helmet did a good job of hiding it. With a wave of farewell, Yami restarted the engine and rode off. Yugi stared down the street after him, his mind in a light-headed daze which could only be caused by true happiness. 

His grandpa looked at him while sweeping and smiled to himself, very proud of his grandson for finding someone whom he could truly have fun with. After 16 long years of suffering, it seemed as if Yugi was finally rewarded, almost like a blessing from the heavens. It made him so cheerful and pleasant to be around nowadays. It was always "Yami this," or "Yami that." Sugoroku really got curious and wanted to get to know Yami better. Someday. For now, he was still not done thanking Yami for all the changes he brought to Yugi's once miserable life, something even he, the child's own grandfather, could not do.

Meanwhile, Yami was on his way home, not paying attention to the road at all. He was also feeling very light-headed and warm all over. (A/N: Sigh. So sweet. See what even the smallest things can do to a person?) He was amazed himself why he had faltered at the mere smile of Yugi and why his face had become warm when the child hugged him. That had never happened before! It was such a strange thing, but then his mind wandered back to his original thought. These new incidents only served to strengthen the suspicion of…He shook his head, trying to clear his confused mind. 'No! That's not it!' he tried reasoning, then shouting at himself mentally, but the thought never disappeared.

He was thankful when the side of his house came into view. He parked his motorcycle on the side of the building and gingerly dismounted. Then, gathering up his back pack and other belongings, he headed for the door. The brief thought of what his parents would say flashed through his mind, especially when Yugi told him he could not contact them at all during his stay at the school's infirmary, but he pushed it out of mind. He was not worried. His parents didn't care about what he did. In fact, they hardly ever acknowledged him when he was there, leaving him alone almost most of the time in his house. He had gotten used to them ignoring him all the time and decided it to be an advantage since he could do whatever he wished and did not need to worry if he got a bad grade at school. You could say that his parents were probably horrible people for never paying attention to their child, but Yami had never seen it that way. They had provided him with meals, a home, and an education, didn't they? Besides, he had friends to spend time with so it didn't matter if he was not as close to his family members as most people were.

Yami entered silently and was greeted with a seemingly empty house. Knowing that announcing he was home was useless, (he had done it before and all his parents did was nod and continue with whatever they were doing), he collapsed on a nearby sofa, exhausted. Just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard a faint sound coming from upstairs. Curious, he climbed up the stairs to inspect further and distinguished the sound to be sobs coming directly from his parents' room.

'Are they…crying?' he wondered. As he inched closer, he could catch some words coming out between each sob through the slightly open door.

"My…poor….son…" At this, Yami felt a pang of guilt. He didn't think his parents would worry about him, and he hadn't made any effort to contact them during the past several days when he stayed overnight at the school. Now they were probably worried sick about him, and it was all his fault. Feeling very sorry for them, he slowly entered and prepared to tell them what happened.

"Look, Mom, Dad…" he began, not knowing what to say. His voice trailed off upon seeing the red and puffy faces of his parents, even his father, with a tired look on their faces as well as a look of bitter sadness. His mother, with her beautiful blond hair and slender frame, looked like a hideous skeleton with eyes stained with tears and his father, a chubby old man with a mustache, looked more like a slob than ever. They turned to face him at the sound of his voice, only to have Yami stop short. Their expressions…were blank. How could that be? Yami was their only son, yet they neither seemed relieved, angry, or had even any kind of emotion at all when they saw him. 

"Who are you?" the crying man asked, face etched with unfamiliarity. Yami stared in disbelief at how parents could have forgotten him. Sure, they had not spoken to him recently, but, still…

"I-I'm your son, Yami…" he nearly choked on his words. The mother was the first to recall him.

"Oh…" she said. "It's our other son, George," she whispered to her husband. However, Yami had overheard.

"What do you mean, your other son? I'm the only son you have!" George wiped his face with his grubby hands and looked up at Yami.

"We…we have another one…He's living with his grandma in Connecticut…But…we just heard…that he…he passed away…" With that, he and his wife broke out in a fresh round of hysterical sobs. The way Yami's mother was crying was almost scary to watch. Yami stood there, dumbfounded, trying to absorb all this information. He had a brother? When was this…

"So…why didn't he live with us?" he questioned, still confused. His mother, Kate, controlled herself long enough to pat Yami's hand.

"We had no choice…we couldn't support him…Then, when we got older and had more money, he was already too far away to come back…We missed him dearly…so we brought you into our lives…on our trip to Egypt, we…" she cut off. Yami could feel himself trembling.

"What about Egypt?" he dared not to believe it.

"We…found you…in a basket…floating in the Nile River…You were so…small and helpless…with your multi-colored hair…you reminded us a lot of our son…so we took you home with us…and raised you…"

"What do you mean _raised_ me? You've hardly paid any attention to me all my life! You wouldn't talk to me, you wouldn't let me talk, you didn't care where I went and what I did…" Yami couldn't continue.

"You're not our real son. How do you think we were supposed to raise you?" George's blunt statement broke the final straw in Yami.

"NOT YOUR REAL SON?!!" he cried in rage. Everything started to make sense to him now. "THEN WHY THE HECK DID YOU EVER BRING ME TO YOUR HOME IN THE FIRST PLACE??? TO PRETEND TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE SON YOU LOST DUE TO YOUR OWN FAULTS?!!!" He looked from one of his former parents' faces to the other, and when all he got were looks of pity, he couldn't take it anymore. He rushed out of the house as fast as he could go, barely stopping to bring his backpack and his box of special belongings which he had always kept hidden under the bed. He could feel hot tears of anguish threatening to fall. He could understand if parents ignored their kids. Yes, he could see from their point of view. However, to just pick up some child in hopes of pretending their old son or daughter was back and because of the very fact that they were not related by blood, completely ignore him…

Yami barely registered anything except how to load his things, get on his motorcycle, and drive away from that horrible place, his once so-called home. He jammed the accelerator hard with his hand and the red vehicle screeched from the sudden burst and sped down the street. The adopted boy didn't know where he was going or how he was going to survive. All he wanted to do was get away from George and Kate…

In the distance, dark black rain clouds gathered in the sky…A terrible lightening storm was approaching Domino…

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Done with chapter 8! Don't worry, Yami will be fine. It's just that he can't find his real parents. Now I must work on my math research paper…Oh, yeah, for those of you who want to see Yami's pout, I'm sorry I can't show you. I have the Japanese episodes on DVD and they have that scene in them, but I have no clue about how to scan a particular image, put it up on the Internet, or make a link connecting from ff.net to that place. If anyone knows how to create a web page, I would be eternally grateful if you told me how! And how to get clips from my DVDs as well! The episodes are sooo good, I just want to share them with everybody!

Yami: Cuz she's weird.

Quiet, you! Anyway, if someone could just teach me how, I can show you the best Y/Y scenes! It's not really intended to be interpreted that way, but it can be in the eyes of people who are really obsessed with it...like me. ^ _ ^' There was even one where Yugi and Yami held hands holding the Millenium Puzzle...That was a very interesting conversation...But I don't want to spoil it. If I learn how to do it and post the good parts on the Internet, you will see it soon enough! And with English subtitles too!

Ah, um, I think that's all I have to say! Thank you for reviewing, and as a reminder for Liquid-Shadow, I said yes you can make a manga out of this story. And for the people who made other suggestions to this story such as having Jou/Seto or something like that and for having girls chase after Yugi for once, I still haven't forgotten about you! I'm still thinking about your ideas, so it's possible I will use them! I'm open to all ideas and will not reject anything. Oh, bloody yami, I would just like to say that you're right, Malik is evil, but I believe that it is Yami Malik who influenced his lighter half to be evil and that Malik is really a good person on the inside so he's nice in this story.

Well, please r/r!


	9. Chapter 9: A Friend in Need

212 Reviews?!! Seriously?!! Yayness!! ^_______________^ Thank you, everyone!! *runs around the room, huggling the chairs and tables*

Yami: O__o Excuse her. She's on a sugar high.

I am NOT on a sugar high! All I had was one Reeses Peanut Butter Cup!!

Yami: Yeah, sure, riiight…

*pouts* You're so mean. My yami would believe me…

Yami: If you had one.

I want one! NOW!! She'd be cool and so much nicer than you! Nyeh! *sticks tongue out*

Yami: - _ -'

Is there some kind of Adopt-a-Yami program? Because everyone seems to have them, and yet I don't…

Yami: Because you don't have imagina-tion…*does the Spongebob rainbow hand movement*

Yes, I do! I'm just bad with names! Take my title for example-"An Angel in Disguise." Absolutely _irrelevant_ to what's going on! Except for that little drawing of the guy and the angel…I'll give this fic a better name someday.

Anyway, I signed up on geocities.com and when I have time, I'll try to set up a web page of some sort. Thank you AuroraDragonKaya for telling me to go there. But please don't expect me to get up my site anytime soon. Which should I choose? The beginner step-by-step one or the one which is good for adding pictures? Hmmm…

Yes, it is sooo obvious Yami is heading to Yugi's house. Where else would he go? And thank you Pharaohs Light and Dark for giving me confidence in getting to 250 reviews! Oh, and KawaiiAngel4, thank you for putting me on your favorites list. I mentioned you in chapter 6, but I put the number 14 instead of 4. So sorry!! The "L" mixed my eyes up! I'm just going to mention the new people whose lists I'm on since last time. Thank you Yuka Yagami and lunarotamis! 

And for people who are curious, I got the DVDs from e-bay. They had 62 episodes on 6 DVDs in 2 boxsets and the movie for a total price of $48! But shipping and handling costs $20, so…But I got them and they were in mint condition! I love them and I still do! Also, I have my e-mail up on my profile page so questions are welcome! I originally hid it, but since my friend found out anyway, there's no point. I don't care. I'm still continuing this story!

Now, thanks to the idea of the one who possesses Insanity, Yami now has to wear leather pants and no shirt while saying the disclaimer! W-wait a minute…NO shirt??? ^______^ I MUST see!!

Yami: *steps out with nice, shiny leather pants and barechested*

O_____O WOWWWWW……

Yami: V _ V'

*after an hour, finally finishes drooling* I'm SOOOOO happy!! You know, Kazuki Takahashi has never drawn Yami shirtless before…He's drawn Yugi in manga book 6, but not Yami. And on tv, there's a scene with a shirtless Pharaoh Yami, but his face is covered in shadows when it is so obvious he is the pharaoh!! Ay!! Probably for the sake of fooling little kids. Anyway, say the disclaimer, Yami…

Yami: The authoress does not own Yu-Gi-Oh. She does not own me, the object of her desires…Whah?! Who wrote this?

*signs appear pointing to YXW*

Yami: …and this fic has Yugi/Yami shounen-ai, a dislike for Anzu, and is AU with Yami being a separate person. "…" is speaking and '…' is thinking. That's it.

*puddle of drool* Yami…half-naked…

Yami: Umm……Hello?

*now house is full of drool*

Yami: Er…just read on…

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Chapter 9

Yugi was sorting the latest boxes of Duel Monsters cards, whistling cheerfully and oblivious to the gathering storm. Since it was Friday, he had time to help his grandpa with the shop as well as finish his homework. He was looking forward to the weekend. After all, there were a lot of things on his mind…

Suddenly the low rumbling sound of a motor engine approached from the distance and the sound increased until it died down somewhere near the Game Shop. Yugi, surprised, turned to look out the door. His eyes widened when he saw Yami there, huddled into a ball on the side of the street, his motorcycle lain on the side where mud ran into it and seeped into a gutter. A light sprinkle began to fall, dousing the unhappy orphan outside. Yugi immediately rushed out the door.

"Yami!" he exclaimed, half in worry and half in glee. "Yami, why are you here? What happened?" Yami lifted his head and looked up, thinking it was all a dream when he saw the angelic boy running towards him. He was already in such a state where the line between reality and fantasy was dangerously thin. He wasn't crying, he wasn't the kind who cried, but he was practically bleeding to death on the inside. The horrid stab from the knife of truth seemed to shatter his very soul, something no regular knife could ever do. The people he thought he loved and who loved him back…were all just a fake…So his life had all been a lie. He winced. It hurt. It hurt a lot.

"Y-Yugi…" he murmured. When the smaller boy finally reached him, he could tell it wasn't a dream. Yugi gripped the other's hands and tried his best to help him stand up and lead him inside. The rain was already falling harder, so he couldn't risk Yami getting pneumonia when he was already weak from numerous knife injuries.

"Come on," he grunted, getting Yami to lean on him, and they slowly walked into the Game Shop. A warm gust of air met them and soothed the chilled skin of both of them. Yugi was already panting from the effort, but managed to lay the soaked boy down on the sofa. After taking a few breaths, he returned outside and retrieved Yami's belongings. He also ended up wet also, but he didn't care. He searched around the bathroom and found a pile of large, fluffy towels, still warm from drycleaning and brought one for Yami and himself.

"Thanks…" Yami replied when Yugi draped the warm cotton-like material over his shoulders. They both sat there, huddled in bundles of towels, but amazingly they did a good job of absorbing the cold water from their bodies. Within minutes both boys were much warmer and more comfortable. Yugi even turned up the heater a little bit.

"Um, Yami, would you mind telling me what happened?" he asked, breaking the silence. Yami looked down at his dark leather shoes, very uncomfortable about telling anyone about his predicament.

"I…would rather not talk about it right now…" he trailed off, his eyes glazed with sadness. Yugi noticed this quickly.

"Oh, no, it's okay! You don't have to tell me. I-I'm sorry I bothered you…"

"No, it's not your fault. Thank you for all this and for taking me to the nurse," Yami stood up, leaving the towel behind on the couch, and fished around his damp backpack for a jacket. "I'd better be going now, then…" He pulled on his jacket made of leather (A/N: Big surprise.) and prepared to leave.

"This is about your family, isn't it?" Yugi said quietly. He could tell from the look in Yami's eyes that he didn't truly want to go and return home. Yami froze, shocked at how Yugi could have guessed so easily. He slowly turned around and Yugi could clearly see the traces of tears threatening to fall, the first ones in a long time. Yami numbly nodded but said nothing more. Yugi stared at him in a mixture of sympathy, sorrow, and curiosity, while many possible situations ran through his mind. He had gotten in fights with his grandpa now and then, but nothing so serious that he would have run away from home. He wanted to help, but didn't know how exactly. "If you want…you can stay with us…me and grandpa, I mean…"

Yami blinked for a few seconds before his face donned an expression completely opposite from what it had been before. He approached the boy on the sofa with eyes that held a tender look and of gratitude and slight flattery. Yugi gulped as he watched the smooth, liquid-like movement and was suddenly _very_ aware of how everything about Yami was shiny. His leather jacket shone in the dim lighting of his house and those pants, having further accentuated his legs by the rain which caused them to cling to the skin, swished with lights and darks as they moved. He was blushing furiously when Yami came and lowered his head to match Yugi's level.

"I would be glad to," he answered simply, and a small smile formed on his lips as he stared into large amethyst pools. Yugi could feel his warm, minty breath brushing ever so lightly onto his nose. "But are you sure?"

"It's no problem…" Yugi was surprised at how squeaky his voice was. Yami then broke out a genuine full-lipped grin and fondly ruffled the little one's hair.

"Thank you, Yugi." He took another minute to enjoy the expression on Yugi's face before drawing back and placing his belongings in the corner. "It's my first time in your house, so I'm afraid I don't know much about your customs. Where do you keep your bags?"

"In the closet," Yugi finally regained his composure. As he helped Yami with the unpacking, it dawned on him what they had just agreed upon. "Yami! You're really staying here!" he said enthusiastically. Yami smiled in amusement and finished removing his jacket and shoes, then tapped Yugi's nose playfully.

"Took you that long to realize?" he teased. Yugi pouted in response, but his eyes were twinkling. The mood definitely lightened up and both even forgot about the problem at hand, at least for a while.

"Now's the hard part, to tell Grandpa," Yugi said, leading Yami upstairs to his grandfather's room. "Grandpa?" he asked, creaking open the door. The elderly man was currently skimming through old photo albums.

"Hmmm?" he responded, his eyes still focused on the pictures.

"Something happened with Yami's family and he doesn't have a place to stay. Could he stay with us?" Yugi's grandpa snapped his head up and noticed Yami's nervous form behind his grandson. Normally he wouldn't agree on such sudden terms, but then again, there had never been a time when something like this happened, and Yami was Yugi's only friend, after all.

"All right," he answered. "He can use the guest room. Do you have what you need, Yami? A toothbrush? Clothes?"

"Yes, sir."

"Please, no formality. Call me Grandpa. We're friends, like you and Yugi. You can stay for as long as you want, but you both need to finish your homework before playing, understand?" He had a stern look on his face, meaning he wasn't joking.

"Yes, Grandpa," Yugi said before closing the door again and leaving Sugoroku to his activities. "Grandpa's scary sometimes, isn't he?" he whispered when they were out of ear-shot.

"Mmmm…" Yami agreed. They made their way to another room opposite the one they had just been to.

"This is your room," Yugi explained, turning on the light. Yami glanced around the tidy little compartment. It had a single neatly made bed with dark magenta sheets, a nightstand, and a small closet besides a curtained window. It could pass off as a hotel room practically. It was amazing how it seemed so tranquil, as if no one had ever used it before. He liked the dim fluorescent lighting coming from the ceiling, having always taken a dislike to bright lights.

"Wow…" he marveled at the simple interior, the tannish carpet on the floor completing the effect. "Where's your room, Yugi?"

"Oh, um, it's very messy," Yugi said, embarrassed. "I'll clean it up, then you can go in." he started to exit, then poked his head back in. "By the way, we're going to have dinner soon, so be ready, okay?" Yami nodded. Yugi smiled, closing the door and headed down to the kitchen. He saw his grandpa already there, chopping up vegetables. "Soup again, Grandpa?" Yugi mused, then donned his own chef's apron and joined in preparing the meal.

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A figure walked down the alley of a deserted part of town. It is was already pitch-dark, yet he could see clearly where he was going with the help of a tiny glow emitting from an object around his neck. He held it with his hand, testing it in different directions. Finally he got response from the east, the light clattering of metal signaled that the object was pointing him that way. He cut through the darkness and around the garbage cans, heading in that general direction.

Suddenly a large shadow fell on the running figure, causing him to stop in his tracks and hiss menacingly for the delay. A large, burly man, obviously drunk, blocked the way. "Well, well. Lost, little boy?" He hiccuped, flexing his muscles. The "little boy" scowled even more.

"Get out of my way, you doofus," he snarled.

"Ooh, threatening. Well sorry, you either pay with cash or you pay with your life." The large man grinned, showing his rusty yellow teeth, many of which were knocked out. The other one, however, smirked even more darkly when he realized he would have to do things the hard way.

"Fine, then. I'll be glad to take _your_ life," those were the last words of warning before he thrust the pointy pendant he wore around his neck into the man's chest. There was a flash of white and the alcoholic screamed in agony before falling onto the garbage-ridden ground. The figure's smirk broadened as he withdrew the now slightly bloody object, wiping it calmly with a tissue, and stepping over the fallen man. Then, thinking better of it, he took out a dagger from his pocket and cut his mark in the victim's flesh and allowed the blood to pool over the slits. He cackled softly, not wanting to draw more attention, before carrying on his way. The ringing sound and the soft glow returned, and he followed its guidance to his ultimate target, somewhere around Main Street…

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"Yami! I finally cleaned my room! You can come in now!" Yugi announced, cheerfully sliding down the banister of the staircase. It was after dinner and while Sugoroku was doing the dishes with Yami, who insisted upon helping, Yugi had taken that time to tidy up his room. It was still messy, but at least now it was presentable. He landed on his socked feet and ran into the kitchen, seeing Yami still working with the dishes. He giggled at how silly the taller boy looked in an apron, even though it wasn't pink. 

"Okay, I'll be up in a minute," Yami replied, drying off the last of the plates. He had learned the layout of the Game Shop fast, and was able to sort the eating utensils into the right cupboards. Sugoroku turned off the water and allowed the bubbles to flow down the drain while Yami dried his hands on a dish cloth. They both removed their aprons and hung them back up. Yugi's grandpa decided to seat himself down on the couch with a newspaper and watched with mild interest as Yami and Yugi went upstairs.

"Here," Yugi threw open the door, revealing the perfect image of a child's bedroom. He had a toy box in the corner, the lid having popped up, overflowing with the toys that Yugi had hastily packed in there a few minutes ago. The posters on the wall were nothing but of children's shows, cartoons and characters. Even Yugi's bed was a lightish blue with a fluffy white pillow and blankets with cloud designs on them. On his desk were crates of markers and crayons and other art supplies, and there was a portfolio stacked in the corner, no doubt used to hold all his drawings. The entire area shone with innocence and simple childlike enjoyment hung in the air. Yami just stood and stared in awe. He knew Yugi loved games, but he never could have imagined this. "Well?" Yugi asked nervously.

"This is incredible!" he exclaimed. "So _this_ is why you always brought in something new each day." He looked around some more at the colorful display of objects scattered around the room. Yugi beamed at Yami's amazed reaction and watched quietly as Yami took in more of the surroundings. The taller boy couldn't describe the feeling that ran through him. It was like he was hungering for a game, a challenge, even the little kiddy games like Candy Land would do. He loved games too, but since when did his inner soul crave to play something?

"So would you like to play?" Yugi asked, seeing Yami's face full of interest yet not daring to touch anything. Yami nodded enthusiastically and the they both nearly buried themselves in the contents of the toy box. There were so many puzzles, action figures, gadgets, and game pieces that they couldn't possibly try them all. Yugi had a fun time sorting through the different objects, trying to find one he thought would suit Yami's tastes and at the same time experiencing the sweet feeling of remembering his childhood through all those bits and pieces. "Twister?" he suggested.

He plugged in the machine for automatic spins and explained the rules to Yami, spreading out the sheet of different colored dots. When the directions were clear, they got into position while the wheel spun and the computerized voice announced for right hand on green.

The game lasted longer than expected. Neither Yami nor Yugi were willing to lose, and they were able to get into the most impossible-looking positions, making a gymnast look out of shape. No one could have guessed that two teenage boys could be so flexible, but they somehow were, and the machine's voice issued one order after the other, never stopping. "_Left foot on yellow_," it commanded, and Yugi and Yami obeyed. Their bodies were already very twisted as they were, but they still strived to keep their balance amongst the interlocking arms and legs. The new move caused them to have their faces smushed together. Both turned their heads hastily so their cheeks were pressed together, but each of their sheer determination to win kept them from giving up.

"Yugi, Yami--" At that moment, Sugoroku walked in and nearly had a heart attack. "YAHHH!!" he yelped, eyes wide, at first glance. This caused both to lose their concentration and fall to a heap on the dotted sheet. Meanwhile, the voice had announced the next move. Yugi groaned, rubbing his head which hit the floor when he fell.

"Graaaandpaaa…" he whined. "You messed up our game!!" He looked over at Yami, who seemed to be in a similar situation. He was dizzy from the fall as well, trying to regain his senses. Their tremendous efforts had all been for nothing.

"Ah…" Sugoroku said sheepishly. "I'm sorry about that. It's just I…um…I, uh, thought…" He cleared his throat. "Ahem. Well, anyway, it's time for bed," he told them before exiting quickly to avoid any questions from his grandson. Yugi stared after him with an exasperated look on his face. He sighed.

"Geez…Grandpas…" he mumbled. "Are you okay, Yami?"

"Ow…" Yami replied, shaking his numb hands. "I'm fine. I think that's enough Twister for one night." Yugi giggled in response.

"I agree. Let's call it a tie. You must be tired now. You should go to bed."

"Yeah, um, about that…I…didn't really bring anything I can sleep in comfortably," he pointed to his buckle infested shirt.

"That's okay. I have some spare pajamas," Yugi searched around his drawer and pulled out a blue pair. "If you don't mind teddy bears on them, though."

"Thanks," Yami said, gratefully accepting the clothing. It wasn't easy to sleep in an outfit such as the one he was wearing, and he really didn't want to sleep without anything on. (A/N: O.O Does he even do that? Maybe in my dreams…)

After Yami disappeared into the bathroom to change and wash up, Yugi lay back on the bed, exhausted from the activity. After all, three straight hours in a push-up position can really take it out of anyone. He flipped over on his side, wiped his forehead of sweat, and nearly dozed off. Just then the door clicked open.

"Yugi…I'm not so sure about this…" came Yami's voice. "Your pajamas are…kind of small…"

"Really? Let me see," Yugi said, sitting up and leaning against the wall. "Oh, God…" he gasped when Yami walked in. He was wearing the silky teddy bear pajamas, but they looked like they had shrunk several sizes in the wash. The sleeves only came down to half his lower arm and the bottom of the shirt was cut off many inches shorter than it was supposed to, revealing a quite noticeable portion of Yami's bare stomach. The pants were likewise, only reaching his calves. Yami, very embarrassed, tried vainly to pull the bottom of the shirt down. All Yugi could do was stare intently, not only because of shock of the fact that Yami was so much taller than he was, but that the outfit was quite revealing, especially where it showed the patch of well-defined tanned skin at the stomach area…

"I see you agree that it's too small," Yami remarked, cheeks still flushed from embarrassment. "I guess I'll just wear that buckle shirt, then…"

"Wait!" Yugi stopped him before he left. He took a moment to wipe the drool from his mouth. "Leave it. It looks fine. It's just during the nighttime…"

"Mmm," Yami agreed. "Goodnight, Yugi." He said before walking across the hall to the guest room.

"Night, Yami…"

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Yami: Sheesh, you wrote a lot!

Hey! Don't blame me! I didn't want to cut it off or else it'd be a cliffy! Yay! Yami's living with Yugi now! ^_____^ Do I smell more fluff? Hehehe…Maybe sometime soon…And what's with Yami's urge to play games? You should all know why. 

By the way, I have some YxY websites for people! They're also in Japanese, but they're really good! Here's a tip: click everything. If you find the gallery, then enjoy the pictures and if you find the comics, then enjoy the images just the same. I really wish I could understand Japanese…In the first website, click on the second button from the left in the top row to get a bunch of buttons with numbers on them. These are all one-page fan comics which are variations of the real manga scenes. They're good!! But be warned: these websites have Yugi and Yami yaoi. So don't torture yourself by going there if you don't like it.

1) homepage2.nifty.com/ranju/home.html

2) http://anzu.pekori.to/trick-king/index.html

Go there and have fun! Or at least I hope you have fun! Don't be fooled by the Anzu in the second website. And here's another little contest! Guess who the mysterious person is! What's his name and what's his purpose? Anyone who guesses right can have their choice in deciding the fate of any character except for Yugi or Yami! So if you're an Anzu-hater, you can kill her and I shall do so in whatever way you please! Big chance! ^^ First person to get both the correct name and correct goal of the figure wins!! May be a little hard, but the prize is good! ^__^' Um, I think.

Please r/r!


	10. Chapter 10: The Mysterious Figure

@o@ REVIEWS GALORE!! 242…ooh, so close to 250…Is it possible? Can I actually do it???? *faints*

~1 hour later~

I'm okay! Now, then, the winner…it's Silver Dragon!! I saw many many reviews that got the right idea, many people said it was Yami Bakura, and it's true that Yami did belong to the Royal Family back in Egypt, but I was actually waiting for someone to say he actually wants to KILL Yami. Some said he wanted to find Yami, but not what he was going to do once he found him. The ringing sound was coming from his Millennium Ring which had those sharp things that point and could be used to stab people. So, um, yeah. Silver Dragon, please respond soon with your idea. Probably thought you wouldn't win, huh? But you did. And here's to celebrate. *throws confetti in the air* Thank you everyone else who tried as well! ^___^ You get a ribbon of participation! And especially mucha thanks to Amethyst Sin, Seventh Sage, and SpiritGuardian for putting me on their favorites list! Wow, I'm so glad you like this story!!

And sorry if last chapter was too much on the fluffy side. I like fluff and I like reading fluff, so it's no surprise I like to write fluff! Now, where can I stick Ryou in? I'll call him Ryou from now on so there's no confusion with Yami Bakura whom I will call Bakura. And there may be…just _may_ be if enough people insist upon it, some Ryou/Bakura. It's another yami/hikari thing, so why not? I'll be waiting for reviews…

Yami: Um, why does the Tomb Robber want to kill me?

Can't spoil it. Just wait patiently and see. I think it's an original idea…Anyway, time for you to say the disclaimer.

Yami: *groans* Oh, no. Still the same condition, huh?

Yup. Hopefully I can control myself better this time…

Yami: *who is already wearing leather pants, begins to take off his shirt*

*eyes wide* What?!! Why are you undressing in front of everyone?!?! *shuts mouth quickly, realizing how wrong that sounded, and blushes a very deep red* Ummmm…

Yami: *smirks slightly* Yo Xi Wang does not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Twister, which was used in the last chapter. This story contains yaoi (Yugi/Yami), Anzu bashing, and is sort of AU since Yugi and Yami are two different people. Please enjoy.

*stares at Yami's chest* Yes, I shall…

Yami: O_______O'

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Chapter 10

Beep Beep Beep…

Yugi groaned and buried his head underneath the pillow in an attempt to block out the annoying sound of his alarm clock. Just why had he set it to go off last night when he knew he didn't have to go to school the next day? He finally gave in and opened his eyes to press the hard-to-find button on the machine. Now he knew he would never be able to go back to sleep. It was only 7:00 and here he was, awake on a Saturday morning. He yawned. Another long, boring weekend…

'Wait,' he stopped as he felt a rush of yesterday's memories flood back into him. It certainly wasn't going to be a boring weekend! Yami was living with him and his grandpa! Yugi immediately thought of many fun things they could do over the weekend right off the top of his head. 'Oh, the possibilities,' he thought with glee. (A/N: No, not like that. Yugi's way too innocent.) Although he knew Yami would probably still be sleeping at a time like this, he got out of bed anyway and changed out of his pajamas into a casual outfit with a simple gray vest. (A/N: Like the one in the Dungeon Dice Monsters episodes.)

He opened his bedroom door and was surprised when he heard voices down in the kitchen followed by the delicious smell of bacon. How was it that Yami was up already? He looked towards the guest room and, sure enough, it was empty, with the teddy bear pajamas neatly folded on top of the sheets for later use. Quite curious, he entered the room silently, and inspected the clothes. It finally dawned on him that those were the pair that was already originally a bit small for him, so obviously Yami would have an even harder time with them. He then noticed some of Yami's belongings overflowing from his backpack. There was his Duel Monsters deck in a nifty blue container, his toothbrush and comb, and a small queer-looking box adorned with jewels. They sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the window, which caught Yugi's attention. Gingerly, he crept over to the box and examined it more. There was a small key hole in it between two small, shiny sapphires. 'I wonder what's so important to Yami that he has to keep it in a locked box…'

"Yugi, what are you doing?" Yugi jumped at the unexpected voice and turned around.

"Y-Yami! Sorry! I didn't mean to look at your private stuff!" Yami blinked in confusion for a second, and his eyes fell on the box in Yugi's hands. His eyes softened upon seeing the fearful look on the young boy's face.

"That's okay. That box is mainly for keeping the contents from scattering, not for protection purposes," he plucked the box from Yugi's hands and sat down besides him leaning on the bed. "If you want, I can show you what's inside." When Yugi nodded slowly, he went on. "I call this the box of special treasures." This made Yugi giggle a little bit, but he stopped immediately when Yami gave him a look. Yugi continued to watch, fascinated, as Yami used a key from around his neck to unlock and open the box. He let out a gasp when he saw the beautiful contents which matched the outside of the box. A holographic Dark Magician card that looked as if it had never been touched before encased in a protective plastic film was the first to catch his eye. There were also assortments of small objects and keychains that sparkled and filled the room with such radiance. Yami dug into the bottom of the pile and brought out a few pictures. He smiled wryly.

"I guess these aren't as special as I thought they were anymore…" he said, ripping up the pictures of him with Kate and George and letting the pieces fall slowly to the carpeted floor. Yugi could catch a glimpse of Yami's happy childhood smile along with the stern faces of his former parents. They had never smiled before, even at their son's first graduation. It suddenly became clear to him what had happened, and he felt a stab at his heart, the thought of his grandpa not really his actual grandpa ran through his mind briefly. He could see Yami's downcast eyes, which were blinking rapidly to keep the tears in, as his hand fumbled for more pictures and presents to tear up. 

"Yami…" Yugi began, hoping to comfort him in any way possible. He cut off as Yami's hand brushed away a piece of clay to reveal a strange golden puzzle piece. The midnight black eye on it bore into his mind, causing him to shiver. "W-what's that?"

"Hmm?" Yami picked up the golden object. It was jaggedy around the edges and definitely looked like it was a part of something. "This? I've had it for as long as I can remember. When I was little, I went everywhere, trying to see where this would fit. It's some sort of puzzle piece, as I recall, but that's all I know," his eyes darkened. "My…parents never told me anything about it." The look of concern washed over Yugi's face again at Yami's hesitation.

"It's okay, Yami. You don't have to call them your parents anymore," he said quietly. Yami looked at him in surprise.

"How do you—"

"I know, just from your expression. I understand what it's like, not knowing your real parents. My parents died when I was just a little kid." Now it was Yami's turn to be concerned. He saw Yugi start to slip into his past, back when he was two and a half, and witnessed the death of his parents. They both remained silent for a while, deep in thought.

"…Thank you, Yugi," Yami said, putting the puzzle piece back and closing the box again. He shoved it back into his backpack and gently stood up, extending his hand. "Come. Breakfast is getting cold." Yugi looked up at the outstretched hand, and felt a small smile of gratefulness creep across his face. He accepted the invitation, and together, they headed downstairs, neither giving another thought about the subject.

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It was around midday, and the streets were full of busy people. Yugi and Yami walked among them, glancing here and there at the different stores and restaurants. They had decided to go shopping for Yugi's grandfather, but the specific supermarket Sugoroku insisted on going to was nowhere to be seen. 

"My gosh, Grandpa really can be a pain sometimes," Yugi remarked, reading the directions and name of the store for the 48th time. Yami agreed silently and looked at his copy of the instructions. "Sorry Grandpa made you come too."

"No, it's fine. It's the least I can do," Yami replied. They passed by a card shop and naturally, neither could resist going in to check out the latest shipments of Duel Monsters, especially with a big tournament coming up as advertised in the window poster. 

"Or how about this one?" a voice said as soon as they had entered. They turned to see that it was Jounouchi, bent over the glass and nearly drooling at the wide variety of ultra rare cards. Honda was at his side, very embarrassed and trying his best to hold Jounouchi back. They had been there for so long that the shop owner and other customers no longer stared. 

"Hey Jounouchi. Hey Honda," Yami called to them. They lifted their heads in surprise, and their eyes narrowed when they saw who it was. They had never talked to Yami before. What exactly was he trying to do? Jounouchi straightened up, regaining his composure, and continued to glare at Yugi and Yami.

"Yeah, what do you want, Mr. I'm-Too-Good-Looking-For-My-Uniform?" Honda shot them a look that pretty much said the same thing. Yugi flared with anger at the comment. Sure, it was true, Yami _was_ good-looking, but it wasn't like he was the one who decided if he wore the school jacket or not. He felt a headache start to form at the thought of the crowd of rabid fangirls. Yami stiffened as well, but he didn't show it.

"Nothing. I just noticed you guys like Duel Monsters too. Would you like to duel sometime?"

"Hey, I'm not the one who wanted to come in here. I'm just here because of him," Honda pointed to Jounouchi, who scoffed.

"Sure, as if I'd want to duel _you_. I'm like an expert. You'd really be no match for me," he said, trying to act tough. Yami's eyes darkened threateningly, (A/N: After all, Yami's still Yami. ^^) and he gripped his dueling deck.

"Is that so? Then how about a duel Monday, at lunchtime? Brave enough to try it?" 

"Course I'm brave. It's just a waste of my time. I have to eat, ya know," Jounouchi continued acting like he wasn't at all nervous or creeped out at the dark, dangerous look on Yami's face. Just then, a figure emerged from the back curtain of the store. It snickered slightly as it approached the group.

"Yeah, right. You're just a little puppy dog trying to dig its way out of a hole. What's the matter? Too much of a canine to handle cards?" It was none other than Seto Kaiba, the co-owner of the store. Jounouchi growled, feeling himself lose his temper.

"WHAT?!! Care to say that again, Moneybags?" (A/N: He actually used that in the show too!) Kaiba turned smugly to face him.

"Sit, boy. Don't forget, I mopped the floor with you in our duel." At this, Jounouchi, although he didn't like it, kept quiet, but a low growl could still be heard. "He'll accept," Kaiba told Yami simply. "At the cafeteria at 12 sharp. I can't wait to see the little pup be crushed by defeat again." He calmly walked back to the back of the store and disappeared behind the curtains.

"GRRRRRRR!!!" Jounouchi yelled in rage. Fire could nearly be seen in his eyes. "I'M GOING TO GET YOU, KAIBAAAA!!!!" he jumped over the counter in a swift motion and raced to find the CEO, Honda following closely behind, failing to restrain the furious teen. This left the two tri-color haired boys looking after them.

"Yami, why did you challenge Jounouchi?" Yugi lifted his head curiously to look at his friend.

"Dueling is always a good way to make new friends," he responded.

"…" Yugi couldn't think of anything to say. Instead he focused his attention to the rare cards Jounouchi had been looking at a few minutes ago. "Wow! These really are fantastic cards!" Yami chuckled and joined in examining the merchandise. 

When they finally got out of the store, they had several booster packs in hand and were opening each one and comparing the cards they got. "You know, I don't get why I always buy booster packs when I can get them for free at my own house," Yugi said as he tore open another pack and took out the contents. "Wow! Solemn Judgment! It can cancel any summon, trap, or magic card, but for the price of half of your life points. I think that's a bit too costly unless you have a low amount of life points anyway."

"Yeah," Yami agreed, then looked at his own cards. "Hmm, another Dark Magician Girl. Oh, a Demon Dice card! (A/N: It's either Demon Dice or Devil's Dice.) That'll be useful." They continued walking on the street, lost in the new cards they bought, so they hardly noticed that the store Sugoroku wanted them to go to was right in front of their eyes.

"Oh, Yami! There's the store! King's Fruits and Veggies! Yup, I'm sure of it! Come on!" he said, starting to run to the doors. Yami took a minute to put away his cards before following Yugi. He was cut short by an outstretched hand. It no doubt belonged to Anzu Masaki. She had been tailing Yugi and Yami all day ever since they entered town, and finally found her chance.

"Why, _hello_ there, Yami," she squealed in glee, attempting to give him the look she had used before to capture the hearts of many of the school's boys. "It looks like you're all better now! Listen, I've been wanting to talk to you about the school play that's coming up—Sleeping Beauty. I was thinking that…" Yami didn't bother to pay attention anymore at her ramblings. He tilted to the left, looking past the girl impatiently at the supermarket's door, and wondering where Yugi went. "…and so I would like it if you asked Mr. Fushigi if you could play Prince Phillip, and…look at me," she cried in frustration, noticing Yami's lack of interest.

"Excuse me," he mumbled, pushing past her. "But I'm really in a hurry." Before Anzu could protest, he was already through the doors. She looked after him in shock, her mouth wide open and eyes not daring to believe that Yami had just ignored her completely. She growled in frustration and yelled up at the sky.

"WHYYYYY????!!!!" As if to answer, a big blob of something fell from the sky and splashed on her head, drenching her completely in red. Not only that, a few seconds after, something hard hit her squarely on the head, and made a squishing sound as more of the gunk was flicked into her eyes. "Ow…" It took a moment for her to realize the disgusting oily smell which could only mean that the red stuff was paint.

"Oops. Sorry, miss," a workman yelled from a few stories up. He was on a platform dangling in the air and had been painting the side of a new cell-phone store when one of the strings snapped and the large bucket he had been using spilled over the side. Anzu glared up at him, but he was already climbing back up to get a new bucket. She was left there, in the middle of the street, and unable to move or speak as a crowd gathered to look at her ridiculous state. The paintbrush which had landed on her hair slowly slid off her red, wet hair and landed with a splat on the sidewalk. A few peals of laughter were heard from the side as more joined them, but no one dared yet to laugh out loud.

"WOOF! WOOF!!" the cries sounded throughout the streets as a pair of black bulldogs came into the scene. With Anzu soaked with shiny red paint, it made her look like a huge piece of raw meat, and they were already very hungry as it is. They made a straight beeline for the girl, followed by more dogs who were encouraged by their excited barks of hunger. Anzu shrieked in alarm, and scampered down the road with her high-heeled shoes clicking on the cobblestone. The herd of dogs ran after her with just as much zest, and they disappeared into the distance in a cloud of dust, Anzu's cries drowned out by the roar of laughter emitting from the crowd.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yami had finally gotten into the supermarket, only to find out just how big it really was. There were about 20 different aisles and so many people that it was impossible to find Yugi even with his very noticeable hairdo. He asked a nearby clerk for directions to the information counter and ran off, hoping to call for Yugi through the loudspeaker there.

In the meantime, Yugi had also realized Yami wasn't with him. He went around steering his shopping cart and picking up all the items listed by his grandfather while keeping an eye out for Yami. He felt so stupid for charging into the store so quickly without checking to see if Yami was following, but he couldn't do anything about it except hope he sees Yami while shopping around. 'I hope he isn't still outside…'

"There," (Yami) Bakura hissed under his breath, a triumphant look crossing his face when he spotted Yugi. "Finally, I found you…" he sneaked behind a row of cereal boxes and eyed the young boy carefully. "Yes, same red, black, and yellow hair…looks like the same age…can't be wrong…" he didn't notice the neutral reaction he was getting from his Millennium Ring. It neither pointed, glowed, nor ringed. This person wasn't the one according to its standards, however Bakura was too taken in by the similar looks. Stealthily, he came closer to his target, who was innocently picking out some apples from a crate. When he was sure no one was watching, he pounced.

"Ah!" Yugi gasped in surprise, falling backwards into the hands of Bakura. He looked up and saw the smirking face of his captor.

"Hello," he hissed. "Remember me?" With a swift motion, he raised his trusty dagger into the air. Yugi's eyes widened considerably, a brief flashback of Ushio running through his head.

"NO!!!" he cried, shoving an apple into Bakura's mouth. The white-haired one gagged on the fruit and lost his grip, and Yugi slid out and ducked into a different aisle. Bakura spit out the revolting thing, wiping his mouth, and took chase after the child. He stopped, having no idea which way Yugi had gone. He blindly slashed at the left row and the wood collapsed, its contents scattering on the floor. When the dust cleared, Yugi was still nowhere in sight. Bakura felt his blood boil. He had let his target slip out of his fingers, and that was something that had _never_ happened. And he didn't like it. By now, the attention of some customers were drawn to the crumpled debris, so Bakura had no choice but to mingle back into the shadows.

"I will find you…" he yelled, directing his attention to the rows of food yet to be explored. "Mark my words, you can't hide forever!!" In the distance, huddled in the corner of one of the aisles, Yugi began to cry.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

To Be Continued… ^___^ Evil, ain't I?

Yami: *finally having put on his shirt* I'm not sure that that can count as a cliffhanger.

*shrugs* Okay, then. So it's not. Anyway, I finally put in some more Anzu torture for those of you who want some, and I finally got Jounouchi, Honda, and Kaiba into the picture! You see, I'm trying to make it like the t.v. show, so Jounouchi and Kaiba fight. It'll get better, though. We're all going to be friends in the end! ^ _ ^ Ne, Yami-kun?

Yami: O_o Huh? Yami-kun?

Yup! I would call you Yami-chan, but I think Yami-kun is more appropriate for boys. So, anyway, how did you feel about this chapter?

Yami: Why does Yugi always have to be picked on?

Well, it's not Bakura's intention to hurt _him_. He's really after someone else. But, anywayyy…

Yugi: *pops up* Who's he after?

Dense. Sooo dense! You'll find out later. Now, then, I know I need more action. I will put more action soon, when Bakura finally strikes! ^^ Well, I don't know why I'm happy that he attacks Yugi and Yami…And remember, if you want another yami/hikari, please say so. I'll need a LOT of persuasion, though. Also, I DO have an e-mail address and now I just got AIM! ^___^ So feel free to contact me. My AIM name is coolieyami.

Yami: -__-'

Anyway, please r/r!


	11. Chapter 11: Bakura's Surprise

WAI!! WAI!! WAI!! I GOT 250 REVIEWS!! AND MORE!!! ^______^ THANK YOU!!! I FEEL SO LOVED!!! AND I AM SOOO SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT!! I HAD A NASTY FEVER!! REMEMBER, SICK = LATE UPDATE = BAD!!  
  
Yami: Uh-oh...Run while you still can! You do realize she's going to make a complete thank-you section now at the end of this fic, right?  
  
SO??? I THINK PEOPLE WOULD APPRECIATE BEING THANKED!!!  
  
Yugi: Um, Yo Xi Wang-san...Please calm down. You need to start the fic...  
  
Yami: Yeah, you can't just leave Yugi crying in the middle of a grocery store! And he still has his apples with him too...  
  
AWW...POOR YUGI!! *huggles him* I always seem to torture you, don't I? I promise, I'll make it up to you. How about a nice kiss from Yami?  
  
Yugi: *turns red and looks at Yami* N-Now?  
  
Yami: *blushes*  
  
*teasingly* No, not yet...In the fic. Not here. You both just be good little boys and wait...*grins wickedly*  
  
Yami: *gulps* Why do I get the feeling that's not good?  
  
Yugi: I...I've never...um, kissed anyone before...  
  
Yami: Me neither...  
  
Exactly. That's why the first one needs to be special, so it must be in the story, at the perfect place and the perfect time...*eyes go starry while imagining it* One other thing. There were only 6 reviews for Ryou/Bakura?!? Oh well. I'll put some in to make people happy, but it won't be as much as the main pairing. Please be patient, though, because they never met before either. ^^' Oh, yes, what Silver Dragon wanted was Bakura to be beaten up by her muse, Faux. A very...original idea, so wait for it. It'll be coming soon. By the way, Yugi did not shove an apple into Ushio's mouth because 1) he didn't have an apple on hand and 2) he wasn't as brave back then, it was after meeting Yami that he started to become stronger.  
  
*suddenly a bird flies by and drops a piece of paper into YXW's hands*  
  
Oh, I almost forgot. Come here, Yami...  
  
Yami: *knowing what's in store for him, sighs* All right. Give me a minute. Why'd I have to wear a BUCKLED shirt?  
  
Yugi: ???  
  
*goes up to him and embraces him around the shoulder* Watch, my friend. This is one of the greatest pleasures of life in the Internet world...  
  
Yami: *starts removing the leather material after taking off neck buckle*  
  
Yugi: *eyes widen to the size of melons* ...  
  
~^________^~ It never gets old. *drools uncontrollably, joining Yugi's puddle on the floor*  
  
Yami: *finally takes the whole thing off*  
  
Yugi: *speechless and entranced*  
  
Yami: *embarrassed* I'm going to get you for this, Yo Xi Wang...  
  
Ah-ah-ah...Someone also said they wanted to see you without pants...^___^ And you know how I hate to upset reviewers...  
  
Yami: WHAT??!! I REFUSE!! *then sees contract* Kuso...*begins to unbuckle belt and slides leather pants off, all that remains are silky boxers*  
  
Yugi: *faints*  
  
*gulps* I...see...This is my first time seeing you...um...like this...*drool fills the room, going up ankle deep and still flowing* (Picture Yami's shapely legs...Just do it...)  
  
Yami: *quickly* Yu-Gi-Oh is property of Kazuki Takahashi, not Yo Xi Wang. There is Yugi/Yami yaoi and fluff in here and some Anzu bashing, so be warned if you do not like these things. "..." is speaking and '...' is thinking. *runs into the nearest bathroom with clothes*  
  
*uses drool to spell out chapter 11 on the wall*  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Yugi stayed crouched in his hiding spot, tense and not daring to make a move, until he heard the whispers of curious people die down and conversation in the supermarket resume to its normal state. He broke down limply against the wood, the bag of apples slipping from his grasp, and a pool of salty tears spilled from his eyes. His entire body felt numb at the moment and totally helpless, still in the aftershock and the fear still lingered in his mind. How he wished Yami could be there. He would always know what to do. He would always know how to make him feel better.  
  
'No,' he thought suddenly. He realized he had become too dependent on Yami. He should learn to deal with his own problems, not put them all on his friend. With a new look of determination, he stood up and dried his tears on his sleeve, but his body still trembled slightly, and picked up the sack of apples. The plastic ripped unexpectedly under the heavy weight and the apples tumbled out, scattering in all different directions. Yugi chased after them, then froze when one of them rolled into a leather clad shoe.  
  
"Yugi! There you are!" Yami's deep voice exclaimed with relief as he helped pick up the fruit. "The information desk said you'd be around here somewhere. There was an accident, I was told. You're not hurt, are you?" Upon closer inspection, he noticed the reddish eyes and nose of the younger boy. "What happened?" he gasped.  
  
"Mm-nnn," Yugi replied, shaking his head. "N-Nothing. It's just that...when the shelves crashed, the onions got knocked over too." he lied, the first time ever to Yami. But it was for a good cause. He didn't want Yami to think he was weak or needed help all the time. Yami looked a bit skeptical, but bought the story, and breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Well, okay, then. Let's finish shopping," he suggested. Yugi agreed and led Yami back to the shopping cart he had been using, surprised to find that it was unscathed. They spent a few more minutes picking out the other items and went to the counter to pay for them. All the way, though, Yugi couldn't help but think about the warning and blood-chilling voice that issued it.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Nighttime fell quickly upon the city. Bakura was still walking around the town square absentmindedly, having tried to find Yugi again, but with no luck. He held the Millennium Ring like a compass and retraced his steps again, but the needle-like structures on his ring never even moved. He kicked at the ground in frustration as he rounded another corner. Suddenly, a jingling sound could be heard and he found to his great surprise that all five needles had gone rigid and pointed to the right. They were pointing in the direction of Ryou and Malik, as they were walking back home carrying shopping bags. (A/N: Okay, now...Malik...shopping? O__o)  
  
Bakura did a quick double take and nearly gasped out loud. He ran a hand through his own snowy white hair to make sure he wasn't looking in a mirror, but then he saw the large, friendly chocolate brown eyes, warm and full of purity. This person definitely could not be him, seeing as how his own eyes were icy and narrow. He took a step back to watch the pair as they chatted amiably, noticing the unusual hair colors of sandy tan and white next to each other. After the initial shock, a small smile graced his lips. 'So...this must be the person who was destined to have the Millennium Ring and free me from my prison. Geez, didn't think that when the gods warned us that our counterparts were going to look similar to us, they would be THAT similar. Of course, HE didn't have to worry about that..." he thought venomously. That brought him back on track of his current mission. However, he was too curious as to why his supposed partner didn't acquire the ring to think about that.  
  
He moved closer to the duo walking in the chilly night air, unnoticed, and got a closer look at Ryou's face. Bakura scoffed. 'He looks like a weakling. They expect me, a dangerous Tomb Robber, to share lives with someone as weak as this? I'd much rather be in a body of my own, thank you very much.' He looked down at his own figure, one he had conjured up after thousands of years in the ring when he finally got fed up with waiting. It allowed him to move like a real person, yet he was currently only a spirit and needed to rely on his magic energy to sustain his form. It was either this or to actually live inside the ring, which in a world like this, would most likely be thrown into a trashcan or something of the like. Once he introduced himself to his supposed lighter half, he could take over his counterpart's body, a vital step if he ever wanted to find who he was looking for.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want a ride, Ryou?" Malik said with uncertainty as he got on his motorbike. "It's getting late."  
  
"I'm okay. You go on home, Malik. Mom said she'll come in a few minutes," Ryou replied, seating himself on a bench nearby. The voice was sweet and smooth, like nectar, something Bakura couldn't help but notice. So, Ryou was his name. How was it that a teenage boy could have such a...well, cute- sounding voice?  
  
'Bad thought, Bakura. "Cute" is definitely NOT on your list of vocabulary words. It goes along with "fluffy" and "adorable" and "sweet." Eeyck...' he felt like puking for even thinking of such words. He had never used them in all his life, for 3,000 years at least, and he wasn't going to start now. 'That weakling will just have to learn to toughen up. Even his voice shows he's weak.' Bakura watched silently as Ryou waved goodbye to Malik and the tan color-haired teen drove off. There was no one else remaining in the town square, basically, making it a perfect time to strike. Well not strike, exactly. First meetings weren't appropriate for violence, unless necessary...He silenced his ring and moved closer, never taking his eyes off the pale-skinned boy.  
  
"Ryou, Honey! Are you okay?" A voice said as a jeep pulled up in front of the bench. The window lowered and Ryou's mother poked her head out. "You were staring into space."  
  
"I'm fine, Mom," Ryou said, shaking his head and gathering his supplies. He felt a chill go down his spine when he stood up, almost like a shard of ice going down his back, and turned his head around. There was nothing there. He rubbed his head, tired from the long day, and went to get into the jeep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Meanwhile, back at the Mutou residence, dinner had already been taken care of and Yugi was setting up a game of Monopoly. They had decided that the three of them (including Grandpa) should play something together. After all, it was a good chance to take advantage of playing games which never had been really fun since there were only two people participating. Truthfully, he wasn't as enthusiastic about it as he had been this morning. The incident in King's Fruits and Veggies kept nagging at his mind. Why did his attacker look so familiar? (A/N: He's not friends with Ryou, so that's why he has trouble.)  
  
"Yugi?" Yami asked, coming in and seating himself at the table. Yugi had been stacking the fake money in the slot of the Chance cards. He quickly noticed his error and sheepishly arranged them in the correct place. "You all right?" Yugi nodded in response.  
  
"I'm just thinking about some things..." he said, trailing off. Yami looked at him, but didn't say anything, understanding that Yugi didn't feel like talking. Yugi looked up in surprise. "Don't you want to know what?" he asked, confusion clouding his face.  
  
"No. It's your business. You have your right to privacy. I won't ask about it until you choose to tell me so," Yami replied. Yugi dropped his head back down, feeling relieved but also a little disappointed. He had wanted to tell someone, but Yami was right. It was his own business and he needed to learn to deal with it. There was a fine line between asking for advice and just asking for answers, so he needed to be careful.  
  
"Still not done setting up yet, Yugi?" Sugoroku came in and sat down as well. He started to help by shuffling the Chance and Community Chest cards. "You seemed so excited this morning, yet you move so slow," he said with a laugh.  
  
"Hey!" Yugi objected with a smile himself. He pushed aside the depressing thoughts and just wanted to enjoy the game. As he finished setting up the board, he explained some quick rules. "You know this is Monopoly Advanced. They have new rules and more cards in the Chance and Community Chest piles." Yami and Sugoroku listened intently, having never played anything other than just regular old Monopoly before. They laughed when they found out one of the new game's main goals was to also get married so they could share the taxes with someone.  
  
"Ha! Well, I don't think we need to worry about that rule in this game tonight," Sugoroku said heartily. He didn't notice a strange look pass between the two teens, one of which they themselves didn't understand, but they found they couldn't look into each other's eyes again.  
  
"Um...that's what Bob and Nancy are for. They each have 5 thousand dollars to share," Yugi said, holding up two plastic people figurines. Then he frowned. "Who came up with these names anyway?" All he got were laughs in response.  
  
The game raged on into the night. The new rules of Monopoly Advance had turned the old, traditional game into something totally new, and it was addicting. After establishing hotels on almost all the game squares, it was becoming increasingly costly to travel around the board. Yugi even preferred to staying in jail since he was the one with the least property. "Yami, it's your turn," Sugoroku said after he had made another purchase and given half to his wife. He was so far the only one to have gotten married.  
  
"Okay," Yami said, taking the dice. He rolled a 7, landing him on a Chance square. He drew one of the orange cards from the pile and read it aloud. His heart nearly skipped a beat. "True love will come into your life soon. A good omen. Collect $250." He signaled for Yugi to get the money, with him being the banker for the course of the game. 'Correction. I think I might have already...' he thought as he watched Yugi work nimbly to find the exact amount, and his cheeks heated up when Yugi turned back to face him. Those large lovely lavender eyes...Silently, he accepted the cash, their fingers brushing ever so lightly, causing a light pink to also spread across Yugi's face. Both had become suddenly interested in how their game piece character looked. All the while, Grandpa was oblivious. (A/N: ^___^ *laughs at Grandpa's stupidity in the obvious things but at his sheer hentai-ness in other things*)  
  
"Your turn, Yugi," he said to remind his grandson. Yugi nodded and threw the dice, also landing on a Chance square. As he picked up his own card, the previous warmth in his face disappeared to be replaced by icy fear. The card said "Beware. There is danger ahead. Donate $100." Yami looked with concern at his frozen face. Yugi tried his best to push the fear back down, but he could hardly read the message in a steady voice.  
  
"Um, you guys...It's getting kind of late. Could we finish this tomorrow?" he asked. The two other players noticed his quivering hand and exchanged looks of agreement.  
  
"Yes. We should get to bed," Sugoroku said. He got up and stretched, leaving the board as it was for next time. The game he had going was too good to give up. "Well, goodnight everyone."  
  
"Goodnight, Grandpa. Goodnight, Yami," Yugi said quickly before nearly rushing up the stairs to his room, hoping no one noticed the tears that didn't yet come out. Why did that stupid Chance card have to remind him of what happened? He usually didn't stand up to bullies. What would that person do when he found him? He closed the door and jumped in between the sheets, yet he still didn't feel safe. The numbness began to return as he turned off the light and tried to sleep. He heard Yami's footsteps come and pause at his doorway.  
  
"Goodnight, Yugi," Yami whispered so Yugi could hear. He saw that the light was already off and didn't want to bother his little savior. (A/N: Little savior? O.O Yes, I know. I'm weird when I'm happy...) Then he disappeared into his own chamber and prepared for bed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yugi tried as hard as he could to fall asleep, changing positions, fluffing up his pillow, smothering himself under the blankets, anything he could think of. But he still felt numb and frightened, constantly sneaking glances at both his bedroom windows. What whoever had attacked him had said was true. He couldn't hide forever. He was scared, but he didn't know what to do about it. He had thought about telling Yami for many hours now, all the hours he had been trying to sleep, but he had to be strong. He had to do it on his own and prove himself to Yami that he could be a man. That he could take care of himself. Ever since meeting Yami, he had only shown him his vulnerable, needy side. Finally he got out of bed, giving up on trying to sleep. Maybe a drink of water would help his dry throat. The clock by his bed signaled 2:00 A.M. He just wasn't sleepy. He felt like sleeping, like letting all his worries drain away as he drifted off into the land of peaceful dreams, and escape the feeling of impending doom and anxiety.  
  
However, even after getting water, he didn't feel any better. He longed to go to his grandfather for comfort like he did was he was little and had a bad dream. His grandpa would give him a quick but reassuring lecture and he would instantly feel better. But this was not a dream, and he was wayyy too old to be going to his grandpa. Besides, the man needed sleep, not stress. 'Maybe, just maybe...' Yugi thought, taking his pillow and blanket and quietly tip-toeing to Yami's room. 'I would definitely feel better if someone was at least in the same room. I won't bother him at all. Oh, who invented the concept of having your own room?' He remembered on the school field trips where he had to bunk with his classmates, but they had never talked to him before. But on a night like this, even that would be fine with him.  
  
He slowly pushed open the door just enough so he could get in. The room was completely dark, with the window shades drawn shut. He could just barely make out the outline of Yami's hair peeking above the sheets and the slow, steady breaths he took shown by the rise and fall of his chest. He looked fast asleep. Yugi gently closed the door, glad when it didn't make a sound at all, and laid out the blanket he brought on the floor. Then he set the pillow on top and lied down, wrapping himself with the blanket like a cocoon. It felt pretty comfortable, and he could see some of Yami to reassure him there was someone there. He breathed out slowly, feeling much safer, yet there was still a part of him that knew of something even better. He rolled onto his side and tried to fall asleep.  
  
There was a rustle of bedsheets as Yami rolled over too. "Yu...gi?" he mumbled, seeing an unfamiliar shadow upon the floor. Yugi's eyes shot open and he sat up, his face half surprised, half afraid, and half embarrassed.  
  
"Sorry for waking you up..." he whispered apologetically. "I couldn't sleep...I was too afraid...I was alone in my room...And I don't want grandpa to think I'm a little kid...I...I thought......I'm sorry." He lowered his head and started to pick up his stuff in preparation for going back to his room. Yami watched him in the darkness, once more worried about him.  
  
"Wait. Whoever said you had to leave?" Yugi froze.  
  
"I...don't? But, aren't you mad I woke you up?" Yami shook his head, but it was barely visible.  
  
"No. You can't sleep, right? Then..." he lifted a fold of his blanket back, and Yugi's eyes widened at the invitation.  
  
"C-Can I really?"  
  
"Sure, come here," Yugi almost felt like this was all a dream as he crawled in. An immediate warmth met his cold feet and it spread throughout his body in seconds. Yami wrapped the blanket around the smaller boy well and gave him half of his pillow. Yugi accepted them gratefully, feeling warm and comfortable and completely safe and surprisingly...lightheaded.  
  
'It must be from lack of sleep...' he thought, feeling his eyelids droop. He finally relieved them and allowed his eyes to closer completely in much needed sleep. He could feel Yami breathing right next to him and felt a sudden urge to move closer to the warm body. Against what his mind was telling him, he snuggled closer and felt the cool smooth silk pajamas Yami was wearing against his body. Yami felt a wave of awkwardness rush through him not to mention having the heat all go to his face, but he shook it off. He brought an arm around and smoothed Yugi's back, giving him small rhythmic pats like the ones his 'mother' used to do to lull him to sleep when he was very young. He was so much like a child, and yet he didn't know it. The tender flesh of his cheek was illuminated by a crack in the curtain, and Yami had never seen anything so tantalizing. He settled for just touching it briefly before smoothing out the matted bangs and dropping his hand back to Yugi's shoulder. He tucked his arm around the sleeping boy protectively, hoping that whatever Yugi had been so afraid of wouldn't bother him in his sleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Oh, sappp...There was a LOT of sap here, wasn't there? ^___^' Gomen. I can't help it. I just went over the fluff section of my fanfiction disk. It's a collection of all Y/Y fluff and it's really enjoyable!! Besides, crayon wanted more fluff, so I put more fluff! And there will be some Ryou/Bakura. I repeat, there will be some Ryou/Bakura because Ryou's cute and Bakura's well...erm, he's evil in a good way. And people sure seem to like Anzu bashing. I'll make her suffer more...Mwahahahaha......  
  
Yippees!! I went to check and I'm on the favorites lists of 5 more people! Thank you azngurl, Neko-chan, Magician of Chaos, Princess Strawberry, and Blue! Wow, 5 more!! I'm so happy!! Yay! Yay! Yay! And I'll try not to make the next way this long. Now, where's Yugi?  
  
Yugi: *still out* X _ X  
  
Yugi? Oh, poor Yugi. I guess Yami must have been too much for him...He missed the sappy bedtime scene! But, anyway, that's okay. There will most likely be more to come if Grandpa doesn't mind! ~^_____^~ I still can't believe I got 250 reviews!! Please don't stop! More is always better! How about 350?  
  
Please r/r! 


	12. Chapter 12: Truth Revealed

Hiya everyone!! Happy Thanksgiving!! ^____^  
  
Yami: But today's not Thanksgiving.  
  
Yes, I know, but it's only two days later...LEFTOVER TURKEY!! *jumps up and down*  
  
Yami: *sweatdrops* I've never seen her this excited before without the aid of sugar or caffeine...  
  
It's not only that! I actually got 316 reviews!! I have never ever gotten so many before! When I said 350, I meant cumulative wise. ~^________^~ Can you blame me for being so happy??? Thank you everyone so so so so much!! And thank you difinity for letting me keep Yami and Yugi for two whole weeks as the result of the auction off the bishies and for the cute plushies! ^^ I can't describe all the fun we had yesterday...Also, thank you Neko-chan for the birthday song and Pixy Stixs! And thank you Icykiwi, Gwenivere Solas, Ananda, Phoenix, and SSJ Sky for adding me to their favorites list! Wait, am I seeing correctly?! I...I can't believe it!! SSJ Sky actually likes my story?! *faints and falls alongside Yugi who is still out*  
  
Yami: Yes, the authoress is unconscious! Now I can escape...*picks up Yugi's limp body and tries to tiptoe away*  
  
*wakes up suddenly* Oh, no you don't!! *drags Yami back to where he was* You are staying here until you read the disclaimer!  
  
Yugi: *stirs* Mmmm? *opens eyes* Yami? *then sees he's in Yami's arms and face turns a very deep red* Y-Yami!!  
  
Yami: Wha? You're awake! *hastily sets him down on the ground*  
  
Ahem. *taps her foot impatiently*  
  
Yami: *frustrated* Do I have to? Just who was it that came up with this idea of no pants?!  
  
Oh, that...Why, it was none other than Amethyst Sin! *looks at Yami* Well, you may not be too happy, but many many other people are...Thanks for the great suggestion! Notice the power of reviewers! ^ _ ~ And notice the power of technology! *snaps fingers and machines immediately come and tear up all Yami's clothing except for his boxers*  
  
Yami: WHAT?!? NOOOO, my leather!!!  
  
Oops...it wasn't supposed to happen that way.  
  
Yugi: There, there, Yami. We'll buy you some new clothes. Even twice as tight and leathery, if you want.  
  
Yami: *stops immediately* Did you...just say...  
  
Yugi: *blushes, realizing what he just said* Oh...um...  
  
Ay, at this rate, the chapter will never get started. Fine, guess I'll have to do it. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! If I did, Yugi would not be calling Yami "Spirit," *shudders* and Yami would actually appear SOLID, not transparent like some sort of ghost. This fic is Yugi/Yami and some Ryou/Bakura and there is Anzu bashing! People who do not like any of these, here's your chance to get out. Thank you and here's the 12th chapter! *looks back and sees that Yugi is still trying to find an explanation*  
  
Yugi: Um...I....uh...  
  
^___^' Eheh...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 12  
  
~Dream Sequence~  
  
"I can't believe it! Why must they go to war with us? Our people have lived in peace for so many years!" a red-caped figure paced across the golden tiled floor, the pyramid-shaped item around his neck making a jingling sound as he walked.  
  
"Please calm down, O Great One," the man next to him said. He held a staff firmly in one hand, using it as a walking stick, and had a long roll of parchment in the other. "There have been many wars in the past, and all of the kings before your Royal Highness have dealt with them. We'll be okay this time as well."  
  
"But you don't understand! We have never faced the Mongols before! We lack the knowledge of their tactics, their strategy, and the strength of their warriors! They have kept us in the dark. Our army will not be strong enough!" he continued pacing even more rapidly. The trusty assistant next to him remained quiet for a few moments.  
  
"Sire...There may be a way to ensure victory..." he said slowly. The other stopped in his tracks and whirled around to face him expectantly.  
  
"Go on..."  
  
"We could...enlist the help of our monsters..." Silence hung in the air as the tri-color haired ruler contemplated his suggestion. He slowly sat down in the red velvet cushion of his large throne and took several deep breaths.  
  
"Yes, it might just work. But..." he turned to look the other straight in the eye. "It will be very dangerous to summon so many monsters at one time. However, we do not have a choice." He got up and stepped into the next room and ignited the torches with a magical ball of flame that shot out of his fingertips. He scanned through the entire room full of weathered stone tablets, eyes falling upon the one that would lead the group, the monster clad in a rich royal purple grasping a magic staff with one hand...  
  
~End sequence~  
  
Yami stirred, slowly waking up. Darkness immediately met his eyes. It was so late into the night that he couldn't see anything. All he was aware of was the soft breaths of the sleeping figure huddled next to him and the warmth of having another so close. That dream didn't necessarily scare him, but it somehow made him feel uneasy inside, like something...or someone was coming and it wasn't going to be a pleasant experience. He tried to recall it, but already he felt pieces of it slip away and vanish never to be retrieved again. Giving up, he turned his attention back to the present and how the sleeping boy was still in a slightly curled up position, a fearful one. Yami sighed, not knowing how he could ever make Yugi feel better. For now, he would do everything he could to make sure Yugi had a good, fitful sleep. The last thought he had before drifting off was to remind himself to ask the boy what it was that was troubling him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yugi was awakened by the pleasant chirps of the morning birds, feeling warm and unusually refreshed, something he hadn't felt in a long time. He opened his eyes a bit, but couldn't see anything but a whirl of colors through his blurry vision. He mumbled sleepily, still wishing to rest some more, and buried his head back into the warmth in front of him. The soft silky fabric tickled his nose slightly. 'What a nice wall...' he subconsciously thought, his mind not functioning properly. He gasped slightly when something tightened around his body, pulling him closer to the 'wall.' Then the faint traces of an exotic, spicy smell wafted into his nostrils, and he realized with a start where he was.  
  
He woke up immediately, his soft violet orbs shifting upwards to meet the chin of the sleeping figure next to him. The other was still peacefully asleep, snoring lightly, and bearing a look of content on his face. Yugi could feel Yami's warm breath cascading onto his forehead when he tilted his head upwards, and he undeniably felt heat rise up to his cheeks at the close contact. Not only that, Yami's arm was also wrapped tightly around him, preventing him from getting away. Well, it wasn't exactly a bad thing. With a small sigh of contentment, Yugi laid his head back to the comfortable spot on Yami's shoulder. He drifted in and out of sleep, staying in the surreal portion between dreams and reality, which at the moment all seemed like a wonderful dream as well.  
  
Meanwhile Sugoroku was busy setting up the Game Shop to prepare for the tournament that was being held that day, arranging more booster packs than ever in the display window. He glanced at the clock which was slowly approaching 8 o'clock, the time when the shop opened on Sundays, then blinked in confusion when he didn't see his grandson anywhere. 'Is Yugi still sleeping?' he wondered, remembering how the small boy had promised he would help out with the big tournament. He slowly ascended the stairs and peeked into Yugi's room, seeing the bed was completely stripped of all its items except for the sheets underneath. He scratched his head, not knowing where Yugi could be. (A/N: Yes, I know he is normally very smart and aware of things in actuality, but he's just experiencing a stage of awkwardness. He'll get better later on.)  
  
"Yugi?" he called down the hallway, but received no response. Deciding to ask if Yami knew of Yugi's whereabouts, he headed for the guest room. "Yami, have you seen-" he cut off abruptly as soon as the sight before him met his eyes. There lay his grandson with his body snuggled against this...strange look-alike of his, both sound asleep, barely fitting on the small, narrow guest bed. His purple eyes widened even more upon seeing Yami's arm embracing Yugi tightly and he nearly had a heart attack for the second time since Yami came to stay with them. "AHHHH!!!" Yugi and Yami jolted awake immediately and both looked in alarm at the shocked elderly man.  
  
"Grandpa?" Yugi asked, climbing out of bed. "Are you all right?" he said worriedly when he saw the bug-eyed expression on Sugoroku's face. The poor guy finally found his voice.  
  
"Yugi! What in the world do you think you're doing?!" Yugi looked at him oddly for a few seconds, not comprehending the situation. Yami, on the other hand, did.  
  
"It's not how it looks!" he said hastily, feeling his face flush crimson and starting to sweat under the scary look Yugi's grandpa shot him when he spoke. Yugi, however, cut in.  
  
"I couldn't sleep last night, Grandpa," he explained. "I thought maybe I'd feel better if there was someone in the room with me, so I brought my stuff over to Yami's room." Sugoroku looked down and indeed, there was evidence of that in the childish pillow and blanket which could only belong to his grandson. "But Yami was nice enough to let me sleep on the bed," he concluded with a bright smile. His grandpa looked at him in silence, then shifted to Yami who was still sitting on the bed, then let out a deep breath.  
  
"I...see," he said, turning around and preparing to get back to the counter. "Well, don't forget you promised you'd help with setting up for the tournament today. Now I suggest you two should get dressed," he raised an eyebrow at Yami's tiny pajamas. With a final suspicious look back, he left the room, closing the door behind him. Yugi let out a soft sigh when Sugoroku disappeared and turned around to face Yami.  
  
"Sorry. Grandpa is sometimes too nosy for his own good," he said sheepishly.  
  
"No problem," Yami replied, kicking off the covers, revealing the rest of his small silky attire. Yugi felt a streak of warmth spread across his face when the folds of Yami's shirt parted due to the poor stability of the pajama top's buttons, exposing a patch of his slender yet with traces of a muscular build figure. "Something wrong?" Yami asked, noticing Yugi's eyes were glued to somewhere with that strange distant look again. (A/N: Remember the first time he saw Yami in those PJ's?) 'Then again, he looks so cute like that...' he thought, studying Yugi's angelic face with interest.  
  
"Umm..." Fortunately for Yugi, Yami had decided to lie back down, causing his shirt to close up. "Nothing. I just figured out that those pajamas were already small for me to begin with. If you like, I have another pair you can wear."  
  
"No, it's okay," he said, rolling over to face Yugi. "I like these pajamas. You could say I've grown rather...attached to them." In truth, it wasn't the actual clothing he had become attached to, it was what he did in that clothing. "Anyway, your grandpa's waiting for you. Don't you have to shower in the morning?"  
  
"Oh, right!" Yugi exclaimed in realization. "Sorry. I'll be quick," he said before running off to his room to get some clothes, knowing that Yami also needed to use the bathroom in the morning. Yami laid back and looked after him in amusement, then buried his face back into the pillow. Already he felt something was missing without Yugi there, but the best he could do was grasp a blanket and try to get some more sleep before the swarm of customers arrived.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Ryou! Hurry up! We're going to be late!" Ryou groaned in his sleep, barely registering his mother's voice. He dove back under the covers to try to block out the sunlight peeping into his window and to muffle the sound of rapid footsteps coming up the stairs. "Ryou," his mother said, opening the door to her son's room. "We have to go now. Get up!"  
  
"Okay, Mom. I'm up," the white-haired boy mumbled finally, giving up. After his mother left, he pulled on a sweater and a pair of jeans and brushed his hair quickly before heading downstairs. His mother tossed him his coat and a cereal bar and shooed him into their jeep. As they were driving, Ryou rubbed his eyes sleepily. "Um, where are we going again?" he asked.  
  
"To your grandpa's," his mother sighed, having to tell him once again. "He said he had something to show you, remember?"  
  
"Oh, right..." Ryou said, trailing off and feeling sleep starting to seep into him all over again. His mother shook her head at his behavior. It was always like this on a Sunday morning...  
  
None of the inhabitants of the jeep were aware of a figure intently watching them. Bakura was closeby, tailing the family like a cat would his prey, and relying on the Millennium Ring to point the way. He jumped from building top to building top, trying to keep the jeep in view while staying hidden from all the other bystanders on the streets. He noticed with a scowl that the ring was leading him further and further away from his target. 'This had better be worth it...'  
  
The jeep pulled up in front of an old house on the outskirts of Domino city, where there were plenty of plains and fields. Bakura had found a slightly problem in the new suburbs, having no more building tops to travel upon, but he managed to hitch a ride on a milk truck. Actually, he had charged in and sent the driver to the Shadow Realm, then completely taken over the truck, but it was all the same in his opinion. He watched as Ryou and his mother rang the doorbell and waited for exactly the right moment.  
  
"Ah, my lovely daughter! Good to see you! And I see you've brought Ryou too!" a cheerful voice greeted them. The door swung open, revealing a very old man in his late 70's with several broken teeth and graying hairs on the top of his head. However, he had a long gray beard which almost made up for his near-baldness.  
  
"Good to see you too, Father," Ryou's mother replied.  
  
"Hi, Grandpa," Ryou smiled politely, slightly taken aback by his grandfather's enthusiasm.  
  
"Come in, come in!" he said, ushering them both into his house. Bakura's eyebrow twitched when he saw how careful the old man was in closing the door immediately after the two guests went in. That foiled his plan of getting in through the main entrance. He ducked into some bushes nearby, hoping to scan the area for an open window or something of the like. Meanwhile, Ryou was marveling at all the great antiques and furniture his grandpa had.  
  
"This is incredible!" he said. Then he spotted the brilliant pure black piano his grandfather had owned ever since he was only a child shining in the sunlight by the window. "Wow, Grandpa! You still have this?" he asked, going up to it and inspecting the keys. He played a few notes, delighted when they were in perfect tune, and started to play his favorite melody of all time.  
  
"What the-" Bakura stopped in his tracks, startled by the beautiful music that poured through the walls of the house to his ears. "Heh. Whoever's playing this is pretty lucky. I'll let them live so they can provide entertainment for me when I get bored." Grinning to himself, he maneuvered closer to the sound. The music led him to a big window with some parts of the glass tinted with color. He jumped up onto a nearby tree whose branch overhanged the windowpane to get a better look inside.  
  
Ryou hummed to the tune happily, remembering his childhood memories, something that particular melody always brought back to him. His soft brown eyes looked at their reflection in the piano's side, and he particularly loved how the colors of the windowpanes were reflected as well. Suddenly, he noticed something else in the view. It was his reflection, yet it wasn't. The eyes were much more steely, much colder and sharper, and the face was upside down, the pure white tufts of hair all pointing downwards. It was all in a split second. The next thing he knew, the image was gone. He rubbed his eyes, wondering if what he saw was real or not. He even turned around to check the real window, but there was nothing except the view of the backyard. Deciding it must have been an illusion due to the different colors on the window, he resumed his piano playing.  
  
"Oh, crap! I think he saw me!" Bakura fumed, now back safely on the higher branches of the tree, out of view of anyone who looked up from the ground. 'I'll have to be more careful,' he thought, not taking his eyes of Ryou as the boy finished his piece and got up to join his mother and grandfather. Bakura still could not believe that his destined counterpart was capable of playing such lovely music. His other half wasn't supposed to be better than him in any way! When he was sure that Ryou had left, he dropped back to the branch and peered in, seeing that the entire family was gathered on the couch.  
  
"Ryou, I have something important to give to you," his grandpa said, face suddenly becoming serious. "It's from your father." His mother gasped and Ryou's eyes widened at the mentioning of his father, who had been traveling all across the world ever since Ryou was just a baby.  
  
"What? How can that be? I thought he's exploring the pyramids all the way in Egypt!" The old man returned with a white box packaged with duct tape. The address was stamped neatly in the corner.  
  
"Even I haven't opened it," he explained, handing the box to his grandson. Curiously, Ryou tore open the package and lifted up the lid. All that met his eyes was the pure white bottom of the box.  
  
"It's empty," he said in surprise, blinking his eyes. It was true. There was nothing in the box at all, but upon closer inspection, he found a small folded note tucked in the corner. He opened it and read aloud: "Dear Ryou, I discovered this peculiar object while shopping in an Egyptian marketplace. The seller insisted that it had something to do with Duel Monsters, which I know is very popular where you live. I strongly feel you should keep this. It seems that you are destined to have it. I'll come visit in a few months. Love, Dad." He put the note down carefully and turned to face his grandpa. "Do you think it got lost in the mail?"  
  
"Nah, impossible," his grandfather replied. "It's sealed very tightly and even if so, the box wouldn't come without the item."  
  
"Oh," Ryou said, looking disappointed. "Wonder what was in it..." Bakura, who had been watching the whole thing, curled his lips into a smile.  
  
"So...that confirms my suspicion. This boy is the host I was destined for," he touched the Millennium Ring around his neck, which was still pointing straight at Ryou. "Now, the question is, how shall I introduce myself? Once I get him alone, I'll be able to taken control of his body and finally complete my mission! You'd better sleep well, Pharaoh. It'll be the last peaceful sleep you will ever know!! Bwa ha ha ha ha!!!" he cackled to himself, the hideous laughter echoing off the different windowpanes and fading into the backyard's thick foliage of trees.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yami felt a brief shock run through him, like a jolt of electricity, and rubbed his numb arms. Yugi stopped pouring lemonade and looked up at him. "Are you okay?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah," Yami replied although he wasn't too sure of him himself. It was already noon, so he and Yugi were having lunch. Everything at the Game Shop was so hectic because of the tournament that they had to eat lunch in shifts so one person would always be at the counter on the lookout for thieves. "Thanks," he said when Yugi set down a glass of lemonade in front of him. Then the smaller of the two also got seated and bit into his sandwich. Yami copied his motions, but he really wasn't that hungry. Something had been bothering him all day and half the night. "Yugi?"  
  
"Huh?" Yugi asked, pausing in mid-bite. Yami took a moment to look into his bright, child-like lavender eyes, so large and delicate in nature. He felt terrible for what he was about to say next for he was sure it was going to ruin the happy, excited look on Yugi's face.  
  
"Why couldn't you sleep last night?" At this, Yugi's expression darkened considerably. He lowered his head, dropping his eyes to his lap and remained silent.  
  
"I..." he started to say. He got up, eyes still glued to the tiled floor, and stepped over to the kitchen porch. He took several deep breaths of the cool, breezy air. Yami watched his actions, feeling even more awful, and got up to accompany him.  
  
"I-I'm sorry, Yugi...It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," he apologized softly. Yugi only shook his head and mumbled a reply.  
  
"No, it's not like that...I want to tell you, I would really love to tell you...But I don't want to appear to be so weak...I don't want to trouble you even more..."  
  
"Trouble me?!" Yami said in disbelief. "Yugi, have you ever thought about how much I've been troubling you? Have you ever thought about how unselfish you were to let me stay here with you? Look at me." Yugi obeyed, raising his head a bit, and Yami could see a few drops of tears well up in his eyes. He grabbed the smaller boy by the shoulders. "You, Yugi, are one of the bravest people I know, someone with such a big heart, such a caring nature, someone so pure and undeserving of any worries such as this. You deserve to be happy, deserve to have friends, which you can do if you only tried. Whatever your situation may be, you can tell me, and I won't think any less of you." Yugi looked up at him and saw how sincere Yami's words were in the depths of those warm crimson eyes. Not able to stop himself, he buried his face in Yami's chest and wrapped his arms around the taller one's middle.  
  
"Yami..." he said, his voice muffled by the leather fabric. "Yesterday..." his heart soar higher, bringing him more courage when he felt Yami's strong arms encircle him, enveloping his body in comforting warmth. "At the store when I was looking for you...I was attacked by this...strange guy with white hair...I think he...he was trying to kill me...I got away, but...he said he'd track me down..." he paused for a moment to let a few tears slip from his eyes. "And I was so afraid last night...so afraid to be alone...that he'd find me..." Yami absorbed all this information carefully, rubbing soothing circles on Yugi's back. He rested his chin on the top of Yugi's head so the other could hear him better.  
  
"It'll be okay. You shouldn't ashamed because of this. Anyone would feel frightened..." Yugi felt a blush creep to his face when Yami nuzzled his hair. He could feel his heart beat rise up a notch and tightened his grip on the other. "Daijoubu..." Yugi froze at the sudden use of Japanese. He never knew Yami's voice could sound so different when he spoke another language, how it vibrated from deep within his throat, and how he could actually feel the slight rumbling through his cheek.  
  
"Mmmm..." he said, closing his eyes blissfully and using his other senses to deepen the dream-like atmosphere, one of which neither wanted to ever wake up from. "Arigatou, Yami...hontouni arigatou..." Yami smiled, and they remained like that for what seemed like eternity.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yay! Some more fluff! A lot of people wanted more fluff, so there you go! And if you think it's still not enough, then say so. I would be glad to write more. ^^ Teehee...They still haven't kissed yet. Who would like them to? Raise your hand.  
  
Yami: Ooh! Me! Me!  
  
Yugi: Me too!  
  
Quiet, both of you. You're the people in question, so you don't have a say in this.  
  
Yami: But...you're taking such a loooong time!!! .  
  
That's the point. The first one ever should be magical...*harp begins plucking on its own and magic glitter floats around in the air, then suddenly the string snaps* Oops...Well, anyway, for those of you who don't know a little Japanese, here are the translations:  
  
daijoubu-it's okay, it'll be all right  
  
arigatou-thank you  
  
hontouni arigatou-really, thank you so much  
  
Er...something like that at least. ^__^' I dunno. I just felt like sticking some Japanese into there. Well, they are in Japan, after all. And that strange dream sequence was just something I made up, something that Yami the Pharaoh might have faced. It's not of too much significance, so don't wrack your brains trying to figure it all out.  
  
Anyway, please r/r! 


	13. Chapter 13: A Close Call

Woowwww...*stares and drools at the little number on the screen* 362 reviews?! Holy Yami!! @o@  
  
Yami: Hey!  
  
^___^' Sorry...Don't know where that came from...  
  
Yugi: I think what she's trying to say is that she's REALLY happy!  
  
You betcha! Right on, Yugi! *huggles him* And thank you Yami-no-Yugi, Seifer Babe, Sugomi, YuugiLover3, Firey Tears no Angel, and WriterOfYaoiFics for putting me on your favorites list!! ^^ So, Yugi, ya know how many people wanted you and Yami to kiss?  
  
Yugi and Yami: *hold their breaths while thinking 'Please at least one...'*  
  
Er...um...O.O 13 hands! No, 14...15...16?! Whoa, seems like people want kissies soon! It is so true, though! You guys gotta do more than just hug...  
  
Yugi: But...hugging feels nice! *hugs Yami*  
  
Yami: *silently agrees while hugging Yugi back*  
  
Yah, but kissing feels even better...*looks at them with a twinkle in her eye*  
  
Yugi and Yami: *blush furiously*  
  
^___^ Kawaii! But now down to serious business. Sheesh, is the disclaimer still necessary by now?! It's sooo annoying!  
  
Yami: -__-' Tell me about it.  
  
Ne, ne, Yami-kun? Could I please take off your clothes for you? *attempts to make puppy dog eyes*  
  
Yami: ...I...guess.  
  
*gasps and eyes shine* WOW!! SOMEBODY TELL ME THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING!! OH, THIS MUST BE THE GREATEST DAY OF MY ENTIRE LIFE!! (Of course, the day when Yami and Yugi become real and I actually meet them in real life would be much better!)  
  
Yugi: *hiss* Mine! *grabs Yami's arm* Ne, Yami?  
  
Yami: *in a voice as sweet as nectar* Of course, Yugi...  
  
Yugi: *face turns crimson*  
  
Aw, don't worry, Yugi. Even though I really really love Yami, I would never take him away from you. He's yours completely. If you want, you can join me. ^^  
  
Yugi: Okay! ~^____^~ *together with YXW, they practically rip Yami's clothes off*  
  
Yami: *shivers* God, it's cold!  
  
*droooool* I know. ^^ It's December, after all. And there's snow! There's about 6 inches of it outside! Isn't it wonderful?  
  
Yugi: *drools and mumbles under his breath* Not as wonderful as Yami...  
  
Yami: *teeth chattering* L-Let's just get t-this over w-with! Yo X-Xi Wang does not o-own Yu-Gi-O-Oh or a-anybody from t-the show. There i-is yaoi in here: Y-Yugi/myself mainly w-with a dash of Ryou/Bakura. Y-You make it s- sound like a recipe o-or something...And it a-also has A-Anzu b-bashing. There! I-I said it! Don't you h-have a h-heater in h-h-here?  
  
You can say that. *flips heater on* There. That should be better. Thank you, Yami, for all the times you've said the diclaimer for us. Let's clap for your brilliance performances on 8 of the 12 previous chapters! *clapping sounds start* And now we can proudly add this time to your collection, making it 9 times altogether! We present you with a number of awards on this special day: a Duelist trophy, a Kaiba Corporation medal, an Emmy nomination, an Oscar award...  
  
Yugi: Eh? ^^' Just move on to the chapter.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 13  
  
The next day was Monday, which usually had both positive and negative aspects, but in this case, they were all negative. Going to school meant the possibility of encountering the attacker, bumping into the annoying Anzu who had made it so clear what her purpose was, dueling with Jounouchi, and just basically because of school in general. Yugi groaned sleepily when he heard his grandpa call him from downstairs. With half-closed eyes, he got out of bed, foot stepping on a soft lump on the floor.  
  
"Ow!" Yami exclaimed, becoming jolted awake by the sudden pain on his side. Yugi hastily pulled back his foot and flushed sheepishly.  
  
"Oops. Sorry, Yami," he murmured, hastily stepping over the makeshift bed of blankets on the floor. He sighed softly, thinking back on last night and remembering how Yami had offered to sleep beside his bed in case he might still feel lonely and afraid by himself. As he got dressed, he looked at Yami in the small mirror in front of him. 'He's such a good friend to me...' he thought as he buttoned up his white t-shirt.  
  
"Nnnn..." Yami rolled over on his side, still not wanting to get up. His hand brushed over something under the bed. He seized it, discovering it was a piece of paper, and took it out. He gasped when he unfolded it. "Yugi!"  
  
"Hmm?" Yugi turned around to see Yami holding the folded up drawing he did at the museum. He felt a wave of panic go through him.  
  
"It's...it's beautiful," Yami said in awe, amazed by the wonderfully realistic drawing that looked almost exactly like the painting itself. Yugi felt his face heat up at the compliment.  
  
"Well...thanks. I-I had to do that for art." Yami's face fell immediately.  
  
"Wait...I'm in the same art class as you. You...you mean to tell me..." he froze with such a rarely seen expression on his face that Yugi couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"Oh, Yami!" he said between giggles. "You don't have to make up work that was due before you transferred here!" Yami blinked a few times, then rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.  
  
"Ah...gomen, gomen! I can't believe I was so silly!" he said nervously. Upon hearing his words of Japanese, Yugi was reminded of yesterday and how the rich baritone voice seemed to swirl around him encasing him in an invisible shield, protecting him.  
  
"Oh, yeah, why have you been speaking Japanese recently? I never knew you could speak it." Yami's face also grew serious, but there was still a glow of happiness on it.  
  
"Oh, I learned how to speak it in my private school before. I thought that maybe you would be more comfortable when you heard your native language..." he looked up with soft ruby red eyes which had seemed to grow a shade lighter than before. Yugi felt his heart skip a beat as he gazed into them and discovered to his surprise how different Yami could be in the morning. The teen seemed to be more...open at this time of day. His eyes also seemed remarkably like the ones in the picture he sketched. "But if it bothers you..."  
  
"No, not at all!" Yugi interjected. "It sounds really...um...nice when you speak a different language," he could feel his face burning as Yami looked at him with a mildly curious expression. Then he smiled slightly.  
  
"Saa, Yugi. Gakkou ni ikimashou." (Come, Yugi. Let's go to school. A/N: Sorry if the grammar or conjugation is all messed up! I know scarcely any Japanese!) Yugi felt it again when he heard the smooth words of the other, a strange feeling whenever he heard Yami speak that way. A shiver went down his spine, but it wasn't of fear or anything like that. It was...  
  
"Yugi! Yami! Breakfast time! And hurry up or you'll both be late!"  
  
"Hai! Ji-chaan!" (Ok, Grandpa!) Yugi called down the stairs, responding to the call. He turned back, only to find Yami had left the sheets on the floor and was already dressed in his usual leather outfit. Just like Yugi's uniform, it had become what he wore almost everyday to school and as a result, started to dull and lose its natural shine. "Ano...Yami...Don't you get tired of wearing the same leather everyday?" Yami stopped fiddling with his neck belt and turned to face Yugi with a slightly embarrassed look.  
  
"Well, to tell the truth, it's the only clothing I brought with me, besides this," he held up his leather jacket. (A/N: Oh, god. The jacket...*droooooooool*)  
  
"What? Why didn't you tell me? We could have gotten you some clothes the other day!" Yugi searched around his drawers and found a spare white t- shirt. "You don't look very comfortable in that. Why don't wear this?" he tossed it to Yami, who accepted it gratefully.  
  
"Arigatou," Yugi tried not to look as the other changed. He kept on repeating to himself how it was disruptive of a person's privacy while keeping his head low and eyes staring at the carpet. For a brief moment he wondered why he was too embarrassed to look.  
  
'It's always this way in the locker rooms at gym, and the beach...' he thought. Then it hit him. Yami wasn't in his gym class, but was in all of the rest. 'So what...'  
  
"YUGI MUTOU!!" Sugoroku hollered. "GET YOUR BUTT DOWN HERE! AND YOU TOO, YAMI!" (A/N: O__o Who could imagine Yugi's grandpa hollering?)  
  
"HAI!! JI-CHAAN!!" Yugi yelled back, then quickly dragged Yami with him as he headed downstairs.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ryou ran down the hallway in a panicky state, almost not believing he woke up late when there was a majorly important test first period. Fortunately, as he turned the corner, he spotted Malik just getting his stuff from his locker. "Hi, Malik!" he panted, out of breath. The sandy-haired boy looked at him in concern.  
  
"Hey, Ryou. Why the rush?"  
  
"What? Aren't we late?" Ryou asked, checking his watch again to make sure. Malik simply shook his head.  
  
"No. First period is delayed five minutes today," he explained. "But if we don't hurry, we're still going to be late." Ryou let out a sigh of relief and allowed himself to catch his breath for a few seconds before he and Malik started walking. "Hey, what's that?" he pointed to the Millennium Ring hanging around his friend's neck.  
  
"Oh, this? I don't know myself. I found it on my bed when I got home from Grandpa's yesterday. My mom said it looks like real gold, so I should keep it until we can find who it belongs to. She insisted I wear it to school," he sweatdropped, still being able to hear his mother's shrill commands.  
  
"Cool." Malik remarked, impressed by the structure of the mysterious object. But the points looked a bit too sharp for their own good...  
  
"Aiyee!" Ryou exclaimed upon hearing the first bell ring. "Come on, Malik!" he said, seizing the other by the arm. Malik gave no complaints as they both rushed off to class.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yugi yawned, nearly bored to death by the lecture his biology teacher gave to the class last period. As he and Yami walked past the library, the delicious smell of fresh baked pizza wafted down the hall from the cafeteria. "Oh! I almost forgot! Today's lunch is pizza delivered straight from Pizza Hut!" he quickly forgot his drowsiness and grabbed Yami's hand, urging him to go faster. Yami's mind, however, was focused entirely on the upcoming duel.  
  
"Yugi, is Jounouchi as good at Duel Monsters as he says he is?" he asked with a hint of worry in his voice. Yugi looked at him for a minute before the huge smile reappeared on his face.  
  
"I don't really know. But I'm sure he's not as good as you are. I heard he bluffs a lot, so you shouldn't worry," he resumed jumping up and down. "It's PIZZA today!!" Yami smiled inwardly at Yugi's energetic mood, deciding to trust the little one and pushing the faint traces of apprehension to the back of his mind.  
  
"Hey! Yami Mutou!" a voice called to him as soon as he and Yugi entered. He traced the voice to a long rectangular table crowded with rowdy-looking boys. Among them he recognized Jounouchi and Honda, who signaled for him to join them. Yugi felt a wave of fear pulsate through him upon seeing the not- so-friendly faces, but he went along silently. The teens at the table eyed them with smirks planted on their faces. They were obviously all informed of this duel and was eager to see how the new kid would fare, not to mention hope to get their revenge on Yami for capturing the hearts of so many girls unintentionally. (A/N: ~^___^~ I can relate!)  
  
"Eat," one kid ordered, pushing two plates each with a slice of pizza in front of Yugi and Yami as the two boys sat down. Yugi eyed the scrumptious- looking pizza hungrily, but he was too uncomfortable to eat with all those people watching him.  
  
"Well, we don't have all day," Jounouchi prompted, already wiping his mouth with a napkin. He took out his deck and began shuffling it. "Leave them alone, guys." Yugi felt himself relax as one by the one, each pair of eyes was taken off him and Yami. As he dug into his pizza, he wondered why Jounouchi would even bother to tell off those other people so he could eat. He had a feeling that deep down, Jounouchi was a caring person and made a very loyal friend once you got on good terms with him. How Yugi had always wished he could have a friend like Jounouchi, and now he finally did. He looked at Yami who was eating his pizza at a moderate speed, face showing no expression but just kept staring at his opponent.  
  
After the two had finished the last of it, the area across from Yami cleared and Jounouchi took its place. The plates were quickly removed and the table wiped before he spread out a Duel field map and set his deck in the proper slot. Yami did the same, eyeing Jounouchi the whole time. Yugi watched the fierce competitiveness between the two intensify as they shuffled the other's deck. (A/N: Can you believe competitiveness is a word?) He gulped, hoping beyond hope that Yami would win.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
At the same time, out in the courtyard, Ryou was sitting at an outdoor bench with his own bag lunch. As he munched happily on his sushi rolls, his fingers traced over the cool, smooth metal of mysterious item he found just yesterday. He picked up the ring and looked closely at the eye in the middle, studying its features. "What a strange-looking object," he said to no one in particular. He didn't notice that he was being watched from the gate which separated school grounds from public grounds.  
  
Bakura smiled when he saw Ryou continue to fiddle with the Millennium Ring, or at least half of it. He had used magic to split the ring into two parts identical to the original, but only containing half of the power and slipped one of them into Ryou's bedroom. With it, he could connect with the other boy's feelings without him knowing and keep track of where Ryou was at any time. 'It's the perfect tracking device,' he thought to himself, his lips curling into an evil smirk. 'I'll find a weakness in the boy at some point sooner or later.' He was so intensely focused on his target that he had stopped paying attention to his surroundings.  
  
"Hey, you," a voice containing a bit of confusion and amusement interrupted his thoughts. It wasn't a surprise either, seeing as how Bakura was crouching in the middle of the sidewalk and peeking through the holes in a bush and totally exposed to bypassing eyes.  
  
"Yeah? What do you want?" he turned his head around, slightly irritated, and met face to face with a very... queer-looking person to say the least. In fact, he actually had to look DOWN to see the other's face for the stranger was only two feet tall.  
  
"Baubuu bau boo baubuu!! Mesa Faux! Nice to meet you!!" the little man practically yelled in Bakura's face with a huge burst of energy, bouncing up and down on the sidewalk. It took a few minutes for Bakura to regain his senses. He was rather...disturbed by this being who called himself Faux, but he quickly got over it and annoyance seeped into him once again.  
  
"Scram! I don't have time to deal with you," he said, putting his hand easily on the top of Faux's head and directing the cheerful little creature in the opposite direction, then went back to studying Ryou.  
  
"Baubuu bau book baubuu!! You no tell me your name! Mesa no like you!!" Faux made an about-face and jumped on top of Bakura's head, immediately seizing a fistful of spiky white hair. Bakura jerked his head to the side with a small yelp of pain and surprise.  
  
"Why, you!!" his hands shot upward to seize the critter who was now pounding on his head with his fists and humming to the tune of "Old McDonald Had a Farm," obviously enjoying himself in the process. Faux slipped out of Bakura's grasp easily and now proceeded to jump on his wretched victim, his boots making a large clanking sound. It drove Bakura insane as well as caused him an excruciating amount of pain, and all his attempts to knock the nuisance off were futile. "Will you get off of me?!" he exclaimed, starting to run at a furious pace, hoping to shake Faux off. The blows ceased for a few seconds only to have little hands cover up his vision. Blindly, Bakura continued running and didn't notice he had gone directly into the courtyard through one of the school's hidden gates, right to where Ryou was sitting.  
  
Ryou put down his juice carton and looked curiously at the struggling teen with a strangely short man on his shoulders, blocking his eyes and kicking at the face, leaving shoe prints wherever his feet landed. "Are...are you all right?" he asked.  
  
"Course I'm not, you idiot!" Bakura hissed in reply. "Now help me get this thing off of me!"  
  
"Do you give up? What's your name anyway?" Faux said between kicks. "Mesa no get off if you no tell me your name!"  
  
"It's Bakura! Okay, you little fungus?!" Bakura spat between clenched teeth. Faux still wasn't satisfied, though. "Fine! Yes! I surrender!" At that, he was finally released from the unbelievably painful attacks. Faux gave him one final kick in the forehead, pushing off Bakura like a springboard and hopped back through the gate to continue his little walk around the block. Bakura was left in a very trampled state, with his once snow-white hair covered with brownish-gray marks along with his face and several bruises on the top half of his body. He growled, knowing what a pathetic state he was in, and glaring long after Faux had disappeared around a corner. "Curse him..." he mumbled under his breath.  
  
"Um, excuse me?" Ryou asked timidly, still in a state of shock of what he had seen. Bakura whipped around to face him immediately and he felt a gasp get caught in his throat. This person looked exactly like him! How was that possible? He didn't notice the color and style of the stranger's hair before, and the deep brown eyes of the other resembled dark chocolate. But at this moment they were more like black, matching the scowl on his face. Likewise, Bakura was also alarmed, although he didn't show it. He hadn't even noticed he had ran into the school grounds. To be humiliated in front of his own target of all people! Not the best way to introduce himself to the boy. And what was even more, he detected a look of pity in Ryou's eyes mixed in along with confusion. He felt his anger reach a boiling point.  
  
"Are you pitying me?!?!" he barked, enraged. Before Ryou even had a chance to answer, Bakura struck him hard, causing him to fall back and topple along with the bench. But his rage didn't stop there. He turned from the fallen boy and slashed through the trees to reach the side of the building. "Who needs a hikari, anyway? I'll kill that Pharaoh right here and right now!!" he said, gathering up his energy and sending the blast directly at the helpless brick wall.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yami narrowed his eyes at the sudden presence he sensed to the left of him, nearly dropping his cards. It was quickly followed by a huge explosion from the kitchen of the cafeteria. The crumbling of material accompanied by the shrieks of some of the unfortunate lunch ladies filled the entire room as smoke streamed out from the site of destruction.  
  
"What's going on here?" Jounouchi exclaimed when everyone in the cafeteria panicked, causing a huge crowd to gather in the back of the lunch room, all trying to get out as soon as possible. "Hey!" he protested when all the other boys who had come to see him duel fled the table as well until only he, Yugi, and Yami were left. "Even you, Honda? Get back here!" he tried to call after his friend.  
  
"Jounouchi, I think they're right. There might be another attack," Yami explained, setting down the cards on hand.  
  
"Oh, no you don't! You just want to escape because you know you'll lose! We have to finish this right here, right now!" Jounouchi stubbornly refused to listen. Yami's eyes flashed dangerously for a moment, something only Yugi could see. With a gasp, the small boy realized Yami was speaking the truth.  
  
"Jounouchi! Watch out!" he cried, throwing himself at the blond-haired teen. In a split second afterwards, another explosion shook the school right where the dueling table was. The blast of dark energy cut right through the wall and shattered all the tables in that area to pieces. Yami was thrown backwards by the impact, landing on the hard floor. When the smoke cleared, there was a deep cut in the tiled floor, like a dried-up riverbed, the excess dirt and concrete mashed up against the other side of the cafeteria. Yami lifted his head, eyes immediately searching for Yugi and found the boy on the opposite side of the huge imprint. The slightly bloodied body lay motionless, having succeeded in shielding Jounouchi but taking an enormous hit itself.  
  
"Yugi!!" Yami shouted at the top of his lungs, rushing over to the other side. Jounouchi opened his eyes blearily and stared in confusion at Yugi's form on top of him.  
  
'What? Why did he...' he thought, but his mind was unable to finish the sentence. Yami came over and shook the injured boy almost frantically. It took a few minutes, but Yugi finally stirred.  
  
"Nnn? I'm...okay," he murmured, waking up in Yami's arms, who couldn't have been more relieved. Jounouchi also let out the breath he had been holding for quite a long time. He didn't want anyone suffering because of him. Yugi smiled then turned to face the blond. "How about you, Jounouchi?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine," Jounouchi replied, his voice containing a bit of guilt. "Erm...thanks for pushing me out of the way."  
  
"No problem," Yugi said softly, feeling weaker by the minute. A dark red stain started to show through the blue arm of his school jacket.  
  
"Yugi, you're hurt," Yami gasped.  
  
"It's no big deal. It-it's just a cut..." the young tri-color-haired boy trailed off, taking several deep breaths as if choking. The look on his face, a mixture of pain yet with a strong determined spirit shining in his eyes. Yami had never felt his heart wrench so much for another.  
  
"Show yourself!" he demanded to the large opening in the wall. Sure enough, Bakura stepped in, an evil grin plastered on his face.  
  
"So we meet again," he said, directing his attention straight at Yami. When all he got was a confused look, his patience snapped again. "You don't remember me? It was just two days ago!"  
  
"That's him...He's the one I met at the store..." Yugi gestured at Bakura, his voice barely above a whisper. It was then that the white-haired teen took notice of him, then realized the mix-up the other day.  
  
"Ah, my mistake," he remarked. "You just looked so much like HIM," he pointed at Yami, copying the movements of his Millennium Ring's spikes. "But there's no mistake now. You are definitely the one I've been searching for." He could feel the power of the ring pulsate through him, telling him without a doubt Yami had been the Pharaoh in the past.  
  
"Kisama...(a very hateful "you") You were the who threatened Yugi...made him think he was being stalked and nervous for the past few nights..." Yami glared at Bakura with a cold, unforgiving look, but the brown-eyed boy just scoffed, shrugging it off.  
  
"Enough chitchat. My mission is to kill you, and I shall definitely make sure it's carried out," he started forming another ball of dark energy in his right hand, however, this time shooting out several sharp, thin needles that sliced through the air. They cut away at the school's sprinkler system, and indoor rain began pouring into the cafeteria. The remainder of the students started panicking again, all pushing out the doors and openings caused by Bakura's attacks. "There. That should get rid of the pep rally," he smirked with satisfaction. But when he turned his head back, Yami, Yugi, and Jounouchi were already gone. Quickly he plunged into the crowd of escaping people, but he couldn't see his target anywhere, and his ring was of no help in the midst of all the different bodies and energy auras. Bitterly defeated, he wasn't in the mood to terrorize the innocent inhabitants of the school and decided to drop the situation...for now.  
  
Ryou rubbed his head, having not yet fully recovered from the fall but was stirred awake by the noise of the frantic students and teachers rushing out of the school. He slowly picked himself up from the toppled bench just in time to see Bakura emerge from the school's side door. But before he could make a move to stop his look-alike, Bakura vanished in a thin wisp of smoke. Ryou couldn't believe his eyes and even checked where the other had been standing a few seconds ago to find absolutely nothing. With a sigh, he looked at the school, wondering if Bakura was linked in anyway to the damage inflicted today.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
Wow, I think that was one of my longest chapters yet. Sorry that there wasn't much fluff here. I had to try to put some action and plot. There will be plenty of fluffy stuff in the upcoming chapters, though, so don't be too disappointed. And yes, Yugi and Yami WILL kiss in the next few chapters. *does a happy dance* Yay! Finally!! ^___^ I've been waiting for this moment too! Thank you SSJ Sky! Your review meant so much to me! I mean, you bowing to ME??? *dies a happy death*  
  
Also, Silver Dragon, you finally got your request. Your muse, Faux, beat up Yami Bakura, or at least kind of. I'm really sorry if I messed up Faux's personality or offended him in anyway. When I heard how short he was and how silly he talked, I imagined a cute chibi-like thing. (Sorry, I definitely have issues...^^')  
  
Feel free to correct my horrible Japanese grammar if you know the right way to say something. I'm always ready to improve my Japanese! ^^  
  
Please r/r! 


	14. Chapter 14: Revelations

O.O Can this REALLY be?? I got four...hun...dred reviews!!! ~^_______________^~ Oh, wow! To tell you the truth, I didn't think I would get this far, in both fic and reviews...I am truly grateful for EVERYONE who reviewed this story! Extra thanks to Aroura Daystar, MaidenoftheMoon, yamiqueen, and Manga**Angel for putting me on your favs list! I'm so happy! ^ _ ^ I'm in the Christmas spirit right now cuz school finally ended for the rest of the year! ^^ There's lots of cookies, chocolates, and this BIG candy cane, but I have a cold right now, so I can't taste anything... .  
  
Oh, and about Faux...Whoops! I'm so sorry, Silver Dragon!! I had NO idea Faux was supposed to be a fox and not a human! ^^' That was so stupid of me! I'm really really sorry about that! Also, I would like to thank Whitefang8604 for telling me how to correctly say "Let's go to school!" I appreciate it! ^___^ Now, we have an important announcement today...A- ACHOO!!  
  
Yugi: Bless you.  
  
^ _ ^ Thanks, Yugi. I've really been feeling out of it this whole week. First the throat, now the nose. When will the horror end?? But anyway, today we have a special helper joining us! *loud drum roll* Introducing difinity!!  
  
difinity: *shyly steps out* Um, hi.  
  
YXW: Hi! ^__^ I'm so glad you showed up to help with the disclaimer! You know, recently, these notes and stuff have been such an unpleasant experience for Yami...  
  
Yami: You said it. Hopefully now I can rest in peace...  
  
YXW: Heh. Not likely. You know how much we all looove seeing you without nearly any clothes on. *begins drooling at the thought, then whispers to difinity* So, did you bring them?  
  
difinity: Yup. ^^ *claps hands, signaling for Yugi and Yami clones to walk in*  
  
Real Yugi & Yami: O___O  
  
difinity: Now then, Yami-kun, please assist Yami in doing the disclaimer.  
  
Yami-kun: *nods and goes to stand next to Yami*  
  
YXW: Well? You know what to do...  
  
Both Yamis: *rolls their eyes and remove their shirts and leather pants and toss them to the side*  
  
YXW, difinity, & both Yugis: *drools puddles*  
  
Both Yamis: If you think Yo Xi Wang owns Yu-Gi-Oh or anybody in this fanfic, you must be out of your mind. These characters are all borrowed property of Kazuki Takahashi except for the Yugi and Yami clones, which were hand-made by difinity.  
  
difinity: ^___^  
  
Both Yamis: We give you warning in advance. Do not continue reading if you dislike any of the following: Yugi/Yami yaoi, Ryou/Bakura yaoi, or Anzu bashing. In the story, "..." indicate speaking, '...' is for thinking, ... is for Ryou to Bakura through soul link, and ... is for Bakura to Ryou. Yugi and Yami are two different people, but Ryou and Bakura are like in the show, two halves of a whole.  
  
YXW: *claps hands* Yay! That was great! You're right! Twice is even more nice!! *starts hopping about in spite of her cold*  
  
difinity: *starts making mental notes to herself to make even more clones*  
  
Yugi-kun: *still staring at his own respective Yami* Wow...I-I've never seen...  
  
Yugi: Me neither, until recently. But isn't he great? *drools*  
  
Yugi-kun: Yeah...Whoever said the original is always better is terribly wrong...  
  
Yugi: Eh? No way. The real one's much more....hot...*doesn't believe he actually said that*  
  
Yugi-kun: Nuh-uh. Mine's the hottest thing on the planet! *also turns red*  
  
Yugi: Next to mine!  
  
Yugi-kun: Oh, yeah?  
  
*the two start bickering and then fighting*  
  
difinity: *sweatdrops* You guys...They're exactly the same.  
  
Both Yugis: *don't listen to her*  
  
YXW: ^___^ It's a Yami-feud! Awesome! Wonder who will win? Anyway, here's the chappie! *starts coughing and takes another lemon-honey coughdrop* Excuse me. ^_^  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Due to the quite disastrous attack, Domino High School had an emergency evacuation. All the people, students and teachers alike, poured out of the smoking building. Police cars and firemen were stationed outside, but neither they or anyone else mattered to Yami. Even Bakura escaped his mind as he continued running, holding Yugi in his arms tightly. The small boy was clutching onto him for dear life, but continued to murmur soft protests.  
  
"No, Yami...I'm okay, really...We need to...to help the others still in the building..." Yami simply ignored his words, but wondered for a brief moment how Yugi could still be thinking of others at a time like this. He dismissed the thought when he reached his motorbike and climbed onto it without much difficulty. Then, scooping Yugi up by the back of his legs, he laid the boy gently in his lap, supporting the delicate neck with one arm while the other flipped the vehicle's controls.  
  
"Hush, Yugi. First I'll get you home. THEN we'll help the policemen."  
  
"But, Yami..." Yugi couldn't find the strength to say anymore over the roar of the engine. Maybe it was the aftershock of the explosion that got to him, but certainly not the wounds. They were minimal, yet Yami acted as if they were life-threatening. He felt a growing warmth spread through him just by knowing how much he was cared for. "Okay. I trust you..." he whispered softly and grabbed onto Yami's shirt for support. He closed his eyes and could've sworn that he could feel Yami's rapid heartbeat underneath his fingertips.  
  
Luckily, they made it back to the Game Shop without incident. (A/N: Who could be safe riding one-handed like that?) Yami carried Yugi all the way up to the bathroom where he set the injured boy on the soft, fluffy cover of the toilet seat. He allowed Yugi to lean on his hand while he used the other to search for medical supplies. Gently, he slid off the battered blue uniform jacket and rolled Yugi's sleeve up to the shoulder. There was a nasty scrape on his arm, which was still bleeding fast. Yami dabbled the blood up with a piece of gauze, then applied some rubbing alcohol. The substance caused Yugi to flinch, but he bit his lip and remained silent. Yami's motions were so firm, so sure....In no time the arm was properly bandaged. Yami stood back to check to see if there were any other wounds, his clear crimson eyes losing its initial panic. "Is there any other place that hurts?" he asked, still furrowing his eyebrow.  
  
"A little bit here," Yugi said, having recovered a little bit. He pointed to a spot near his heart, but immediately wished he hadn't. Yami was onto it as quick as a watchful hawk, unbuttoning the stained shirt. The clothing parted to reveal a cut in the center of Yugi's chest. Yugi blushed hotly when Yami's hands went to work instantly and applied a special soothing cream on the bruise. No one had ever touched there before except for his grandfather. Through the coolness of the gel, he could feel the warm, gentle hands of the other while he slowly rubbed the disinfectant in. They left his chest feeling tingly. Yugi's mouth went dry, and he couldn't find a thing to say. His heart rate shot up under the feel of another's hand on his bare, sensitive skin, and it surprised him to no end how Yami didn't notice the wild beating in his chest. After the second wound was taken care of, Yami finally looked up. He frowned once again when seeing Yugi's flushed rosy pink face.  
  
"What happened? Do you have a fever?" he quickly buttoned the little one's shirt back up in case he caught cold.  
  
"Nn-no...I'm fine," Yugi replied, looking down at the yellow-tiled floor. He tried to suppress a yawn, but it came out anyway. "...guess I'm just tired..." After a brief inspection on the forehead, Yami was convinced.  
  
"Well, in that case, you should rest," he said before taking Yugi in his arms again and carrying him over to his own bedroom. Carefully avoiding the numerous toys littering the floor, he set Yugi down on the bed and covered him in several layers of bedsheets. The small boy struggled to get up again, bringing a look of surprise to Yami's face. Without warning, he slowly pulled the other into an affectionate hug and buried his face in the crook of Yami's neck. The tips of his hair tickled Yami's face pleasantly as he smiled and embraced the other back.  
  
"Yami...You're always...so good to me..." Yugi's muffled voice was barely heard, but Yami could clearly feel his warm breath on the exposed flesh of his neck, and he let out a small sigh, almost like a purr. He had thought about what he was feeling long and hard, and it all came to one conclusion. Love. It truly had been hard not to fall in love with the once lonely young boy, and he didn't quite know how or when it had happened. It just...did. How he wished he could...make Yugi his. He was so deep into his fantasy that he registered the soft touch of lips on his cheek as part of the dream. He snapped out of it with a slight gasp when the tingling sensation lingered, signaling it was definitely part of reality. Yugi had to stand on his knees to reach up high enough to give Yami a gentle peck on the cheek before resuming his position in hugging the other. "Thank you..."  
  
Yami stood stunned, one part of him shocked as it had ever been, and the other part leaping for joy. He could feel his heart skip several beats, his face turning bright red, and he unconsciously held the small boy closer to him. His mind was awhirl from just that simple gesture. It might not have meant what he hoped it meant, but it was something. Something very special. He looked down at the child in his arms and felt his heart pulsate with delight at the thought that Yugi saw him as more than just a friend. A brother? Or perhaps...closer? "You're welcome," he replied, even daring to kiss a strand of Yugi's hair. As much as he would have loved to stay in that position, he knew Yugi needed rest. "But now you must rest."  
  
"Hai..." Yugi whispered, reluctantly letting go and allowing Yami to guide his head back to the pillow. The taller boy tucked in him delicately so not to harm his wounds, all the while watching Yugi looked up at him with grateful amethyst eyes half-lidded from sleepiness. Yami took one last look at the sparkling violet orbs before brushing the other's bangs aside. He placed a light kiss on the pale, exposed forehead, savoring the sweet taste of Yugi's smooth skin.  
  
"I'll be right in my room if you need anything. Sleep well." With that, he exited and left the tired boy to his thoughts and a well-deserved rest.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sunlight shone through the light blue curtains, awakening Ryou from his light sleep. He sat up immediately and parted the blinds, taking a thorough look outside. Noticing nothing was unusual or out of place, he lay back on his bed, his hand flipping the radio on his nightstand on. He was almost certain that there would be no school today, but he might as well check. The staticy voice came on, announcing the closing of many schools in the vicinity. The white-haired boy patiently waiting for Domino High to be called close, and it came. He smiled, something he rarely did at the mentioning of school being closed, but he already had enough problems. He slowly took the Millennium Ring into his hands and stared at it as it glinted in the sunlight. A slew of questions raced through his mind.  
  
Bakura was, as usual, watching from afar. He knew the window was no longer a safe hiding spot, so he picked a spot on the roof and formed a tiny peephole with his shadows powers. He snorted when he saw Ryou glance nervously out the window. 'What a moron. He actually thinks I would hide in the same spot twice.' His interest intensified when the boy started examining his half of the Millennium Ring, and he felt his own ring around his neck tug him downwards. It had good reason too. He had not killed in such a long time, but he had to remember that this boy was out of the range of victims. "Now's a good a time as any, I suppose."  
  
"Wonder if mom's up yet," Ryou's mind drifted to random categories. "Maybe Malik and I can get together today at the park...We can have a picnic." Suddenly, he felt he was being watched. The creepy feeling crept up his spine, and he slowly turned around to met a pair of cold brown eyes. He gasped and fell backwards against the wall. "You're..." he struggled to think back on yesterday. "Ba...kura?" Bakura merely smirked in response.  
  
"So, you remember my name. Listen well," he edged closer to the frightened teen. "What happened yesterday was a once in a lifetime situation," he said this with a deadly tone, daring the boy to laugh in remembrance of the awkward event. Ryou got the message clearly and merely gulped. It only delighted the other even more. "Now..." his ring started to glow, drawing Ryou's eyes to it.  
  
"How did you get my ring?" he asked incredulously.  
  
"Fool," Bakura snarled, holding up the other ring which had slipped out of Ryou's hand and held them side by side. "See this? They are all part of one Millennium Ring. YOU..." he emphasized the word greatly. "...are supposed to be MY other half. You were chosen as all Millennium Item spirits are destined to have a reincarnation."  
  
"A look-alike?"  
  
"No, you idiot. We look alike because you are technically me and I am you. We are both Ryou Bakura, only, like this ring, there are two halves and two bodies and even two souls." When Ryou continued to stare at him blankly, he sighed in frustration, cursing the gods for giving him such a difficult hikari. Why couldn't the Pharaoh also have to be stuck with a charge? He got lucky, the lucky fool...His anger flamed again. There was no time for silly explanations. He needed the body. "Grrr, forget all that. I'm not known to have a lot of patience--"  
  
"Please don't hurt me," Ryou interrupted, his backed pressing against the wall. Bakura only shot an annoyed glare at him.  
  
"No, we'll get to that later on. The point is, we need to fuse into one and I must take over your body. I have this special 'goal' in mind." Ryou stared at him for a long time, knowing he had no choice. He really should've learned how to defend himself...  
  
"So, uh, will I ever be able to get my body back?" he had already consented, but was still curious.  
  
"You'll find out soon enough," Bakura replied with a growl and touched their separate rings together. The bright light spread until it filled the entire room, and what had once been two figures on the bed was now one figure. Bakura opened his eyes slowly and saw things for the first time through solid white bangs. His lips curled into a wicked smile when he tested out the body and found it suitable to his tastes. After all, it was supposed to contain a little of himself in it to begin with.  
  
Wow...this is incredible... Ryou's faint voice echoed from the ring. He had obviously uncovered the wonders of his soul room. Who wouldn't have been surprised with all its bright colors, shape-shifting furniture, and magical feeling? Bakura felt a speck of amusement flicker across his face, but quickly shook his head from the strange emotion. It wasn't the evil amusement of watching his prey die. In fact, it wasn't tainted with darkness at all. It was one of those rare neutral moments. He remembered the last time he had them, it was all the way back in Ancient Egypt, when he saw a child slip repeatedly on a pile of apples until finally, with a pout, he decided he would not try to get up so he wouldn't fall anymore. It was weird but mildly entertaining.  
  
Get used to it. And don't make any more noise. It's distracting. he sent back through the newly-formed link.  
  
What? You can hear me? Ryou asked after hearing Bakura's voice echo off the walls of his soul room. The current owner of their body let out an exasperated sigh.  
  
Yes. Now I need silence. He pondered for a moment, then slapped his head for his ignorance. Great. He now had the body, but he still needed to find where the little snot-nosed brat lived. He had missed his golden opportunity when the two were escaping from the school. Hey, you. Do you know where that short kid with the multi-colored hair lives? Somehow he had a feeling they were living together. They were too eerily alike to live in different houses.  
  
Oh, you mean Yugi? Ryou thought for a moment. When Bakura received no answer, he brought his hand to his temple, feeling a headache coming on. He felt like shutting up the annoying other side of him, but he needed the body. Still...he clenched his fists. He didn't have to be so ungodly irritating. And he was expected to...what, PROTECT him?  
  
'Back to square one...'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yugi stirred, awakening after a long, restful nap. The room was still unusually dim, and he soon saw the curtains had been drawn up to keep the glaring sunlight out. He rubbed his eyes, shocked when he saw what time it was. "12 o'clock!" he exclaimed into the empty room.  
  
"So, you've finally woken up," Yugi looked up to see Yami peering through the doorway at him with amusement shining in his eyes. "Feel better?"  
  
"Yeah, good as new!" It was true. Yugi could hardly even feel the pain anymore in his arm and chest. Whatever Yami did yesterday really helped him heal. "But today's..."  
  
"Yup. It's Tuesday. You're very late for school, you know," Yami responded, crossing his arms over his chest. He didn't even flinch at Yugi's reaction.  
  
"WHAT??! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP??!?!!" Yugi yelled in disbelief. He had never missed a day of school before. Yami could barely keep his laughter in at the little one's outburst accompanied by the frantic scramble for clothing and other school material.  
  
"I'm just kidding. Calm down, Yugi! Do you really think there will be school after such a disaster?" Yugi froze in mid-step, and it finally dawned on him.  
  
"Oh, I forgot about that..." he scratched his head, rather embarrassed, but quickly moved on to other concerns. "What happened to our school? Do you think everyone made it out okay?" Yami pulled open the blinds to let some light in, then took a seat in a nearby chair.  
  
"I'm not sure," he answered truthfully. At this, Yugi's face grew even more worried.  
  
"Can we go check today?" his voice held a tone of begging to it that Yami couldn't quite say no to. He was worried about Yugi's health, but his mental state was just as important. Worrying wouldn't do the boy any good.  
  
"Well...if you really want to," he replied reluctantly. "But you sure you're okay?"  
  
"Of course! Let's go!" Yugi said, grabbing Yami's arm impatiently. The light touch caused Yami's cheeks grow warm as he remembered what had occurred last night. Those soft, full lips, which were weak and even a little dry from yesterday's lack of energy had turned a healthy, rosy color and looked even more tempting. Yami had just begun to notice them. They were one of the key features he loved most about Yugi aside from his large, heavenly innocent violet eyes. Then there was the little one's sweet giggle and the way his soft yellow bangs fell into his eyes. The taller of the two shook his head violently to clear his mind, but his left cheek still held a tingling sensation as reminder of what happened last night.  
  
"Um, Yugi, there's a slight problem. My motorcycle kind of broke down," Yami remembered suddenly. He had left his vehicle in the muddy gutter for quite a while when he was tending to Yugi's wounds. Yugi turned back to look at him, his face expression wasn't affected. He had something in mind...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yami and Yugi were tossed again to the back row of seats by another sharp turn, followed after by many more bodies. The standing passengers on the local city bus were thrown around like jelly beans in a jar with every move the driver made. The people who were lucky enough to find seats were busy trying to ignore the bumpy ride and all had their heads buried in the daily newspaper. The two multi-color haired boys were squished against the wall so hard they could barely breathe. "Yugi...Are you sure this is the only other way to get to our school?" Yami complained, feeling the body of a particularly large man pigging out on several hot dogs push him against one of the bus seats.  
  
"Y-Yes..." Yugi managed to choke out as he too was being forced into a narrow space between seats. "Sorry. I thought we would be able to get seats..." Both boys ended up having tousled hair when the bus finally came to a halt at their desired stop. They slowly squeezed through the crowd of people, scrambling to find fresh air. Yami stepped out first, breathing a sigh of relief as he gulped some fresh air. Yugi, however, was having a hard time getting out since the hot dog-eating man was right behind him and taking big steps, pushing him along faster. His foot missed one of the bus's steep steps and his body tumbled forward. Luckily, Yami managed to catch him before Yugi hit the ground. The smaller boy blinked upon finding himself in Yami's arms, looking up to meet deep pools of red. His hands tightened around the leather-clad middle of the other unconsciously, and heat crept into his cheeks when he felt Yami do the same. Their closeness was inevitable. In fact, Yami could almost feel Yugi's ragged breath on his face, and he wanted nothing more than to lower his head and claim those panting lips. But all he could do was stare. And that was all Yugi could do too, taking in the new, more detailed features of Yami's face for the first time. The taller one's bangs hung low, shadowing part of his face, and Yugi couldn't help but notice the slight parting of Yami's silent mouth. He struggled to tilt his face up more...  
  
"Are you all right?" Yami's voice inquired in a low whisper. The soft sound also awakened Yugi.  
  
"H-Hai!" he said quickly, removing his arms and pulling back slightly, blushing furiously. He turned his head away, concentrating on the bus they had just taken as it disappeared into the distance. His mind was awhirl with new, bewildering thoughts. 'W-What was I doing?' his mental voice sounded in his head in just a frantic state was a he was physically in. 'Did I just...' he shifted his eyes to look at Yami, who remained silent, deep in contemplation of his own. Unbeknownst to the small boy, Yami's heart was also racing and his mind also confused, but it was because of Yugi's actions, not his own. He had seen Yugi raise his head up a little...and was frightened by that. He didn't, he just couldn't, let himself taint the boy. The situation they were in...it didn't give Yugi the right to think properly. Yami knew how he felt, but whatever Yugi's feelings were was all a mystery to him, and he didn't want to force the other into anything. He looked the other way in shame and embarrassment, trying to clear his throat.  
  
"So..." he managed finally. "Let's keep going." Yugi nodded, and the two faced each other again reluctantly, but neither could make eye contact. They walked along to the school in silence, side by side, blushing involuntarily whenever their shoulders brushed.  
  
Unfortunately for them, someone saw all that had happened. Anzu had been out shopping when she spotted Yami get off from the bus, and at first she had been overjoyed to see he was alone an started running towards him, until she saw Yugi struggling to get out after him. Quickly, she ducked behind a bench to watch as Yugi tripped and fell into Yami's arms. It was a pity she didn't see the rest or couldn't interpret the rest for she was too busy with her little discovery that Yami was a gentleman. If she fell, he would catch her! 'Oh, what a perfect plan,' she smiled to herself. She looked closer and anticipated the two teens were heading to their school. There was a corner near there that was perfect...  
  
When Yugi and Yami arrived at the school, they were surprised to see a large fence surrounding the entire building along with piles of dirt across what was once the courtyard. Heavy tractors were at work, repairing the two major holes in the wall. The whole area had become one big construction zone. Yugi looked this way and that, hoping to find someone to ask, and luckily found a worker on a lunch break. "Excuse me, sir. Do you know if anyone was injured from yesterday's incident?" The man paused in eating and thought for a second.  
  
"Not that I know of. There were no ambulances here, so I'm assuming everyone got out safely." Yugi nodded at his words, immediately relieved.  
  
"Thank you," he said before the two boys moved on from the disaster area, which was clearly labeled with caution strips all around.  
  
"So what do you want to do now?" Yami asked him.  
  
"Hmm, I don't know. Let's just walk around. There are lots of shops along the way back home, unless you want to take the bus again."  
  
"No, I'd rather not," Yami replied quickly, feeling a sweatdrop form at the thought of being tossed around in the vehicle along with a bunch of other passengers. Because of the fact he and Yugi weren't exactly tall people, the many heads above them even blocked out the sunlight, making the whole bus one confusing mess. Yugi giggled at his expression, the strange tension that had formed between the two breaking under the sound. The two walked along the sidewalk happily, passing many stores, but none of them seemed interesting. Just as they came to a corner, they were interrupted by the sound of high-heel clicks. Anzu started running at a high speed towards the intersection of the two sidewalks when she heard Yugi and Yami approach.  
  
"Oops!" she said, purposely jamming her heel into a large crack in the concrete, and she stumbled forward with a smirk on her face, but it was covered by her long brown hair. She waited for the strong arms she was sure would catch her, but they never came. It was too late, though, and she crashed headfirst into the ground. She lay crumpled on the sidewalk in front of the two very surprised and slightly disturbed teens.  
  
"Anzu?" Yugi asked when he finally recognized her. "Are you okay?" The girl's hopes brightened a bit upon hearing a voice, but not from the person she wanted it to be. She lifted her head up, putting on her best "poor pitiful thing" look, directing it mainly at Yami.  
  
"Yeah, I guess I was just running too fast..." she tried to pull off an innocent voice, also pasting a fake smile on her face. "But I'm okay."  
  
"That's good," Yugi said, turning to look at Yami.  
  
"Yeah," he agreed mildly, then they both stepped around Anzu to cross the street which now said "walk" in bright green lights. They walked away, never taking a look back. The girl sitting on the floor blinked her eyes rapidly. At first she couldn't believe what had happened.  
  
"At least you could have helped me up!" she shouted after them, but Yugi and Yami were already too far away to hear her frustrated cries. Grumbling, she got up by herself and dusted her outfit off. Her nose was stinging with pain from the fall, and she rubbed it sourly. She stood leaning against the wall and mulled over her foiled plan. 'As long as Yugi's with him, Yami won't listen to a word I say. That little brat! He's hogging Yami all to himself!' she thought angrily, kicking at a loose pebble. A loud and quite disgusting ripping sound followed, and Anzu turned around to see the back of her pink skirt had a huge rip up its middle. She growled, even more infuriated, and stomped off to change into another piece of clothing, hopefully without encountering any trouble or embarrassment along the way.  
  
"You know, Yugi. That...Anzu, was that her name? Why is she always around? It seems like she's always following me," Yami said, his voice clearly containing irritation. Yugi stopped abruptly, wondering if he should tell Yami about Anzu's...er...reputation.  
  
"Well, I think she---"  
  
"COME AND SIGN UP TODAY FOR OUR BIG DUEL MONSTERS WORLD TOURNAMENT TAKING PLACE AT THE ONE AND ONLY KAIBA LAND!!" Suddenly out of nowhere one of the large widescreen televisions in one of the stores nearby turned on to introduce the event. Yugi was cut off, but he felt kind of relieved that had happened. He and Yami both turned to look and stared in awe at the advertisement. The winner would receive a Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, a Red Eyes Black Dragon, a Black Luster Soldier, all 5 pieces of Exodia, and $5,000 cash prize! As lovers of Duel Monsters, both were entranced by the t.v. for a long time. Just as the cards at stake were being shown up close, the commercial was interrupted by a special news report.  
  
"Attention, everyone! There has just been a terrible attack at Domino High, followed up by several explosions in nearby park vicinities," a stern- looking man announced. "The criminal has not yet been identified, but we have concluded he has white hair. He also bore the strangest artifact around his neck." The camera zoomed in close to show Bakura's Millennium Ring, the eye flashing in the center. Yami felt several pricks of shock run through his body when he saw that the symbol in the middle was exactly like the one on the strange golden piece he kept in his treasured box! He moved his hands up to rest them on the glass, pressing his face closer to the television to hear better. "This creepy 'eye' shown on the attacker's possession is believed to be related to Ancient Egypt. Authorities have joined Miss Ishizu Ishtar, Egyptian expert, in an urgent interview."  
  
"I do not know much about this criminal, but I can definitely say his origin is connected to Egypt in some way. The eye of Horus is one of the trademark symbols of Ancient Egypt, and many of our people have treasured items that bear this holy mark. It is not to be dealt with lightly, for some objects may contain terrible amounts of magical power..." Ishizu continued her speech, explaining all the possible ways she could think of of how Bakura was tied to her home country, but Yami couldn't hear anymore. He stared blankly at the t.v., processing this all in his mind in a frantic state to get answers. Of course! George and Kate had said they found him in the Nile River. The NILE! It was in Egypt! And that would also explain why he had a piece of something that had once belonged in Egypt, marked with the eye of Horus, as far back as he could remember. He was probably found with it also within the sheets of the basket! Maybe it was a connection to his real family? His real home?  
  
"Yugi..." he said, turning to face the other boy with a sparkle of excitement, wonder, curiosity, and even a little bit of fear. "I think...I know who I really am now! I...I'm from Egypt!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
YXW: ^o^ Yahooo! Yami finally finds out where he's from! The poor guy...having to grow up without his real family...  
  
Yami: You are evil. How could you just LEAVE it there?!  
  
difinity: How could you even SAY anything when she made fluff for you and Yugi?! Yugi even gave you a sweet kiss on the cheek!  
  
YXW: That's right. Would you like me to NOT make you two kiss on the lips in the next chapter? I was going to do it...but if you refuse to cooperate...  
  
Yami: NO! O___O Oh, please no!  
  
YXW: That's better. ^____^ Thanks, difinity. You're a pal!  
  
difinity: ^____^ No problem.  
  
YXW: Oh, and you must have been wondering who won the Yami-feud. *looks back at two sleeping Yugis* It was a draw. The poor Yugis used up so much energy that they both fell asleep at the same time. They are supposed to be exactly alike, after all. ^^ And the two Yamis are getting to relax and spend some 'quality' time with each other. All that fighting was fun! Maybe we should do it more often...  
  
Both Yamis: Oh, no, you don't! Not with OUR Yugis! *tackle YXW*  
  
YXW: X____X  
  
difinity: ^^' Please r/r! 


	15. Chapter 15: The Kiss

Konnichiwa!! Did everyone have a happy holiday and/or Christmas if you celebrate it? I did!! I had a beautiful white Christmas this year!! ^___^ Yippee!! Of course, I had to do a lot of snow shoveling afterwards... -__-' But I'm still happy!! *eyes sparkle* Everyone is sooo nice!! O__O 449 reviews?? ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU, MINNA-SAN!!! Also, I'm sorry for the LOOOOONG WAIT!! Gah! I don't even know what is taking me so long to type this chapter! Especially since it's vacation time...My family dragged me to many family friends' houses. . Oh, and my cold did get better. Thank you all who were concerned! ^___^  
  
Yami: Will you get on with the story already?  
  
Yami-kun: Yeah!  
  
YXW: Ooh, anxious, aren't we? Don't worry. ^__^ It's finally the moment you've been waiting for!  
  
Both Yamis: ^_____^  
  
Both Yugis: ^_____^  
  
YXW: KAWAII!!! ~^_____^~  
  
Difinity: Kawaii is right!! It's not everyday that you see four of the cutest almost identical bishies in the world with such goofy smiles on their faces! ^____^  
  
YXW: See what Christmas and New Years do to us? We're all grinning like idiots! ^____^ By the way, thank you Ice Drizer, Synchronized Love, Sage of Zelda 64, Kyoshi, Takeru Yoshizuki, Ni-chan and Michi-chan, and Rain, the Shadowed Musician for putting me on your favorite authors list! Now, Yami and Yami-kun, you know what to do. (Ugh, that sounded like Steve from Blue's Clues, didn't it? ^__^;;)  
  
Both Yamis: *still smiling, step behind a changing screen and come back out...in...er, their usual disclaimer outfits (which is nearly nothing ^^)*  
  
Everyone else: *droooooooooool*  
  
Both Yamis: *are used to it and smile at each other* Yu-Gi-Oh is official property of Kazuki Takahashi, the blessed creator and manga artist, along with all the characters in this fanfic.  
  
YXW: *mumbles* Now why can't KT be a YxY lover?  
  
Both Yamis: Yo Xi Wang does not wish to steal. She only borrows temporarily. This fic, if you don't already know, is all about Yugi/Yami fluff and happiness with a little Ryou/Bakura on the side. In other words, it contains YAOI, so here's your chance to escape if you are disturbed by it. Also, there is some Anzu bashing in here as well. "..." = talking, '...' = thinking, ... and ... = Ryou and Bakura communicating through their mind link.  
  
Everyone else: *still drooling at newly formed muscles due to snow shoveling*  
  
Yugi: Thank you, Yami! ^__^  
  
Yami: No problem. *smiles darkly and pulls Yugi close to him* I would do anything for you...*tilts head down*  
  
Yugi: *blushes deeply as he closes his eyes*  
  
YXW: NOOOO!! NOT YET, YOU GUYS!!!  
  
Yami: *stiffens and a HUGE sweatdrop forms on his head*  
  
Yugi: A-ah...sorry...*pulls back slightly*  
  
Yami: ___ *half yells, half cries* WHY NOT NOW???!! *goes off elsewhere to mope*  
  
Yugi: Yami?! Wait!! People might see you! *runs after him*  
  
Yami-kun and Yugi-kun: *looks at Difinity* Are we allowed to do that?  
  
Difinity: Of course. ^___^  
  
Yami-kun and Yugi-kun: ^____^ *run off together to a dark spot where no one can disturb them*  
  
YXW: *sigh* Well, I guess only you and I can see the kissing scene now...  
  
Difinity: I know. Those two will be missing a lot...but oh, well! ^____^  
  
YXW: ~^____^~ Yeah!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Ryou sat at his desk in boredom, doodling on a piece of scrap paper. Somehow, Bakura had managed to pull off being him in front of his mom, but anyone could visibly see he was having a hard time acting nice, gritting his teeth to keep his anger under control. It didn't help that Ryou's mom usually nagged her son about almost everything, like cleaning his room or brushing his hair. Finally, Bakura had settled for going back into the Millennium Ring at times when he knew nothing important or interesting was going to happen, leaving Ryou bored and having to deal with his mother on his own. It was Sunday, but that didn't make a difference to him for everyday seemed the same. The school had been closed for nearly a month, trying to get the disaster zone repaired, and there really wasn't much to do. Suddenly the ring glowed, surprising the white-haired boy as his soul was pulled into it once again. There was a brief flash and he found himself back in the so-called hallway between the two soul rooms. He noticed Bakura was impatiently waiting for him at his own doorway, regarding him with a cold glare.  
  
"What is it this time?" Ryou asked him in a tired voice, although still containing fear.  
  
"Found anything on that classmate of yours yet?" Bakura demanded gruffly. Ryou merely shook his head, wishing he knew Yugi better. He had learned that upsetting his dark half was not a very smart thing to do.  
  
"I'm sorry, but school hasn't reopened yet, so I can't see him, and there are too many Mutous in the phone book. But the radio said the school was fixed, so we should be able to go tomorrow." Bakura raised his eyebrow, wondering if Ryou had made the last part up to avoid his wrath or if it was really true.  
  
"In any case, I believe you didn't bring me a miserable soul to torment again, did you?" he grabbed the front of Ryou's shirt, lifting him up to his own eye level. "No information and no replacement. A fatal combination, little hikari." Ryou stubbornly kept his head down, bracing himself for the consequences. He wasn't prepared for the hard punch to his stomach, but he couldn't keel over, being suspended in midair. Bakura's knee followed, knocking him hard so he went flying against his soul room's door. A series of sharp jabs and kicks to his frail body had him crying out in pain. His tormentor watched him with a malicious grin on his face, enjoying the loud screams, as usual. This was the only good thing about having a light half: he could torture him however he wanted, and as long as they were inside the ring, the wounds wouldn't physically show, but the pain lingered in Ryou's body long after.  
  
"Please...stop!" Ryou choked softly, but his pleas were ignored. His body was so badly beaten that he was sure it was soaked in blood already. The blows subsided for a minute, only to have a large boot slam into his chest. Bakura purposely held it there and applied more pressure, until he heard the ribs crack under his foot. Ryou's face froze and his cries cut off abruptly, his body becoming limp. He crumpled to the floor when the boot was finally removed, accompanied by the rattling of crushed bones. Tears silently trailed down his pale face, staining the skin and seeping onto the cold floor. Bakura looked down at the lifeless body in shock although he was good at hiding it. He hadn't expected the boy to faint.  
  
'No, wait...' he crouched down to feel through Ryou's bloodied shirt and found the body to be jelly-like. 'He...he couldn't be...' but then he came upon the pile of broken ribs, all clumped in one spot around his heart, trapping the organ. "H-he'll be okay," he said aloud to calm his nerves, but he didn't even convince himself. He looked down at the victim's face, eyes wide open and staring blankly into space, rimmed with tears, and he felt his hand tremble for the first time in a long while. "I..." he didn't dare admit he had gone a little overboard. Crushing rib cages was a good way to kill someone, not a good way to vent out anger and frustration on someone who you still wanted to live afterwards. But what could he do? There was_no_way he was going to nurse this human or his wounds. He refused to help anyone but himself. But wasn't Ryou, in a way, himself as well? "Rest! Some rest in his soul room and he'll be good as new the next day!" he ordered out loud. As he bent down to pick the boy up, he crinkled his nose in disgust at the large puddle of blood. He had always loved the sight and smell of freshly spilt blood, but this time he couldn't bring himself to laugh insanely at the scene like he usually did.  
  
He kicked open Ryou's soul room door and hastily brought the boy in and laid him on his bed. "All he needs is rest," he kept on repeating to himself even as the sheets were soaked in crimson. The bleeding still hadn't stopped. Bakura turned away quickly so that he wouldn't be further prompted by his very small, almost microscopic conscience to help his other half recover. He knew the ribs in Ryou's actual body would still be as they always were, but there was the risk of overwhelming internal pain that caused death in humans today. However, his pride was too important. With clenched fists, he marched out of the smaller boy's soul room to fill the now empty space in their shared body.  
  
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Yugi was propped up against the wall of his bedroom, his hands underneath his chin. With another sigh, he got up and looked from the doorway across the hall to Yami's room. The said boy was still in the same position, leaning against the guest bed, staring at the mysterious puzzle piece in his hand with such intensity that the thing might as well have melted. Yami rubbed over the engraved eye with his thumb again, still pondering the discovery from a few weeks ago. He knew how pathetic he must have been at that moment, not eating or sleeping much, and being a nervous wreck about finding everything he could about Ancient Egypt. So far, no articles proved to help. They were all about the modern culture and society, and certainly Miss Ishtar would be way too occupied with other, richer visitors at her museum.  
  
Yugi was growing really worried. It seemed Yami had lost some weight from his new, quiet mood, and it always looked like he hardly got enough sleep the night before, if he got any at all. Thankfully their school took the longest time in getting repaired, and for several weeks there was nothing, not even homework. If there had been, Yugi doubted Yami would have been able to keep up. Nowadays, without anyone to play with, he had begun to feel kind of lonely once again. But whenever he was around Yami, he couldn't help but also feel a little...peculiar. Along with the pure happiness brought to him, there was also this strange trembling within him, as if butterflies were in his stomach, and the slightest movements could cause a tremendous reaction. Like the time when the three of them, including his grandpa, had eaten together at their small kitchen table while men were outside remodeling the wallpaper. He and Yami had to squeeze in on one side, and neither could eat without disturbing the other in one way or another. It was quite uncomfortable, being squished shoulder to shoulder against someone, but he also kind of liked it. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Sugoroku asked him to pass the peas, though.  
  
Yugi swallowed, trying to calm these strange feelings. Maybe he was thinking too hard, or was too worried about Yami. He was such a dear friend to him, after all. Yugi could not imagine ever being without the taller teen, almost like the brother he never had. He treasured all the times they had spent together, especially the hugs. He loved the feeling of being in Yami's embrace, his strong, well-built arms encircled around him to shield him from the outside world. And he could never forget the sweet, tangy taste and texture of Yami's cheek. He began to wonder about more specific things nowadays, like how Yami had gotten his skin such a rich tan color and how he had such well-toned muscles even though Yugi never saw him exercise the way people on tv did. The small boy felt his cheeks color every time one of these questions ran through his mind, but he couldn't help it. Yami just seemed so...intriguing yet mysterious at the same time. His past was all mucked up that even he didn't know who he was or what he should do. Yami might not have even been his real name. Was it wrong to want to know everything about the crimson-eyed orphan?  
  
'Well, maybe not everything...' Yugi thought, feeling himself start to blush. Did this make him weird? He wasn't sure. One thing he did know was it made him happy, more than enough to cover for all his earlier years of misery. But now Yami was the one who needed comfort.  
  
"Yugi! Yami! Suppertime!" Yugi vaguely heard the words of his grandfather float up the stairs as he approached Yami's room. He knocked lightly before entering through the already open door.  
  
"Yami? It's time to eat. Grandpa just made some lasagna. You should try it," it was more of a command than anything else. He was really starting to worry about the other boy's health.  
  
"No thanks. I'm not hungry," Yami replied, pulling out a thick book on Egypt from his gathering bookshelf of reference.  
  
"Yami, I've seen you read that book five times already, and you told me you couldn't find anything useful," Yugi reasoned, frustrated. "Anyway, school starts again tomorrow, just to let you know. They finally fixed the holes in the cafeteria. We should get ready."  
  
"Mmm," the taller boy was still focused on his textbook. Yugi sighed, not knowing how to get Yami to talk to him as much as he used to. "I just don't understand it. Why would my parents...leave me in the Nile River?"  
  
"Maybe they had no choice," Yugi said gently, taking a seat on the bed and looking down at the back of Yami's head. "Maybe they were in danger and wanted you to be safe."  
  
"I would rather have died, though, than to live without them," Yami gripped the puzzle piece tightly, wondering how fate could be so cruel. "It probably would have been better..." Thick silence hung in the air for a while as Yugi stared at him with quivering eyes.  
  
"...That's not true," he said softly. "If you died, I would never have been this happy. You've helped me so much. You mean a lot to me..." Yugi shifted his gaze shyly to the silky white sheets, blushing slightly.  
  
"And you do too," Yami slowly turned his head around to look at the other. His soft amethyst eyes and face a light pink tinge made him look simply adorable. "You don't know how much you matter to me..." his hand tenderly brushed a stray blond lock out of the small boy's eyes, then trailed down one soft, pale cheek. Yugi used his own to stop the hand where it was, breathing a little faster. The light touch, although brief, had sent an enormous sensation through his body. Warmth washed over him in layers when the hand took on a mind of its own and gently stroked his velvety skin. Yami didn't even realize what he was doing. All he could see was the irresistible image of the one he loved staring at him a bit flustered, but very content. He leaned closer, eyes staring deeply into those gentle violet orbs, until the tips of their noses touched. Yugi's sweet, uneven breath came out in small gasps, and Yami could feel each and every one land on his lips, enveloping them in an intoxicating heat. He opened his own mouth slightly, needing to breathe as well, and their breaths mingled. His hold on Yugi's cheek shifted so his fingers were underneath the other's chin, slowly guiding those luscious lips closer. Yami's quickened pulse resounded loudly in his head, stirring the part of his brain that controlled the involuntary impulses of his hand and face. He inwardly blinked rapidly when he realized what he had been about to do and warmth unmistakably made its way to his cheeks so he was about the same shade as Yugi. Still, he didn't want to pull away.  
  
"Thank you...for your concern," he finally whispered, practically into Yugi's parted mouth. The other shivered at the pleasant feeling, his grip tightening on Yami's wrist. He could still almost taste the hot breath that had caressed his tongue a few seconds ago, and his subconscious mind begged for more. Yami's lips were nearly on fire, burning with a desire to press just a little further, into that soft flesh mere millimeters in front of him. With as much willpower as he could muster, he diverted the path, letting his lips land on the tip of Yugi's nose, a light, tentative brush, but it was enough to satisfy them. Yugi blinked as a tingling warmth spread from his nose to the rest of his face. "Now, did you say there was lasagna?" Yami slowly got up and guided Yugi up with him.  
  
"Oh...yes...lasagna..." Yugi mumbled, still a little dazed. He couldn't even feel his arms and legs anymore, but he somehow managed to stand. His heart was soaring, but at the same time his brain was spinning in confusion. He was glad Yami was there to support him as they made their way downstairs for dinner.  
  
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Monday morning finally came, and Domino High was finally open again. The majority of the students moaned in disappointment, but some of them were glad to be back, including Yugi and Yami. They were both glad to have something to keep their minds off Ancient Egypt, and throughout the day, Yami was beginning to feel a lot better. The challenges of schoolwork, something he usually did not enjoy, helped him to forget about his problems, and along with Yugi's cheerful company everywhere he went...well, it was like heaven. Yugi seemed to have gotten over his shyness a little and had a bright smile plastered all over his face all day, even in class, the smile no one except Yami had ever seen before from the lonely, game- obsessed boy they all knew.  
  
Bakura, however, belonged to the group of school-haters. He didn't see the point in education and despised it even more when he had another problem on his hands. Ryou still hadn't woken up. That morning, he had checked in the boy's soul room only to find him still lying on the bed, in the exact same position as before, amongst blood-caked sheets. Upon closer inspection, Bakura had found he had stopped bleeding, but he was still pale and his eyes still held an empty look. He had shaken the body in a slightly panicky attempt to wake him up, but there was no reaction. He had just been about to do something, but unfortunately, Ryou's mother interrupted, shaking the hollow body of her son, which was neither occupied by Ryou nor Bakura. This forced Bakura to take his other's half place for the time being, and he couldn't go back to help his light half until he could be alone again.  
  
Now, as he sat at his desk quietly and trying his best to impersonate a quiet, well-behaved student, he felt the beginnings of a foreign feeling enter his body. The more he thought about Ryou's condition, the stronger it grew. It even pushed aside his hunger for revenge and caused him to wrench his glare away from Yami to look at his own clenched fists. What was it? Guilt? Pity? Maybe even...mourning? Whatever it was, he had never felt it before for as long as he could remember, and it stabbed at him relentlessly, making him feel unbearably uncomfortable. But wasn't this good for him? All he required of the boy was his vessel, a body for him to control in order to get his revenge. So...why did he...care if Ryou lived or died? For the time being, he couldn't concentrate on his original goal, the strange feeling overwhelming his thoughts. He shifted in his seat, wondering how he could stop it. Finally he concluded that once he was home, he would see what he could do to awaken Ryou again.  
  
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The cafeteria that day was unusually quiet. It seemed as if all but few of the students remembered the incident there, especially the lunch ladies who had to lose all their ingredients in the deadly blasts of energy. The weather was getting colder, so practically no one ate outside anymore. Yugi and Yami had conveniently found a small table, perfect for two or three, and had lunch together there. As they were munching on sandwiches, they hardly noticed Jounouchi slowly approach them.  
  
"Um, hey Yugi...Yami," he said nervously. Two pairs of inquiring eyes looked up at him. "Listen, I just wanted to say thanks for pushing me outta the way of that blast, Yugi. You didn't even know me, yet you did such a thing for my sake."  
  
"No problem," Yugi replied. "I don't like to see anyone get hurt if I can help it."  
  
"But you don't understand..." Jounouchi scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I was such a jerk to you. And to you, Yami. Actually, I found out my friends rigged my deck to make it stronger, yet I still couldn't beat you. So...I'm sorry. Would you guys like to...um, hang out and duel sometime?"  
  
"Eh?" It took a minute for Yugi to realize what happened. His eyes watered. "You...you mean it?" Jounouchi nodded with a small smile.  
  
"I owe you my life, after all."  
  
"Sure!" Yugi exclaimed happily.  
  
"I'm with him," Yami said, another rare, genuine smile lighting up his features. Jounouchi really was a kind-hearted person when you got to know him, not another one of those gangster-wannabes his reputation implied. Just like Yugi wasn't the game nerd that everyone thought he was.  
  
"Heh! Great!" Jounouchi grinned, relieved. "You two can come sit with Honda and me anytime you like!" he pointed to a table on the other side of the cafeteria. Yugi's smile broadened at the offer, and he felt warm all over, realizing he had just made a new friend.  
  
'But...' he looked sideways at Yami, who returned the gaze gently with soft ruby eyes, and felt his cheeks warm at the affectionate gesture. 'He will always be the most special...'  
  
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After lunch, the students gathered for drama class, the last period of the day. As the two look-alikes entered, they heard a lot of whispering going on, especially from the girls in the class. Many of them kept on sneaking glances at Yami, who was still clad in tight leather, not following the school's dress code at all. (A/N: ^___^) Yugi blinked in confusion while Yami tried his best to ignore the stares, but he still couldn't help the sweatdrop that formed on the side of his head.  
  
'When will they ever give up?' he wondered. Then he noticed a very familiar figure at the teacher's desk, apparently arguing with her for quite some time. Among the girls, there were whispers of "I agree with Anzu," and "Oh, I would die to be the princess if he was the prince."  
  
"Eheh..." Yugi said nervously. "I think they're talking about you, Yami," he whispered nervously.  
  
"Gee, you think?" Yami's face was already in a stressed out expression, remembering what had happened last time with the desk clerk in the nurse's office. Luckily the teacher ended the argument with a loud roar of disapproval, frightening many of the students, who had never imagined a woman could yell so fiercely.  
  
"All right, class. Settle down," she spoke in her normal high-pitched voice again. "As you know, we have been planning a play for many months now for the school festival coming up soon. Since we've lost several weeks already, we won't be able to hold auditions for roles. We will just have to decide using the conventional method-drawing out of a hat. Each person gets a number, and that number corresponds to a character. Unfortunately, a few of the numbers will lead to blanks, so those people will not get a role." Murmurs of surprise filled the air at that. "And there are no changing roles or giving it up to another person, and especially no roles confirmed beforehand," she shot a look straight at Anzu. "This year, by popular demand, we have decided to do a play of 'Sleeping Beauty.' We do not care about gender, so any part's free game for all of us. But it might be most comfortable if the prince and princess are of opposite genders, in other words, a boy and a girl or vice-versa." All the female eyes in the room shifted to look hopefully at Yami, who tried to shrink into his desk. "Any questions?" When no one raised their hand, the hat was started to be passed around.  
  
"So...everyone gets a number, but they don't know what part they got until the end?" Yami asked as the hat came closer.  
  
"Yeah. Ms. Kimochi will write the numbers and the parts on the board, covering up the parts. Then we write our own name under the number we got, and finally she'll reveal the roles. It's quite smart, really, so no one can cheat." Yugi explained. Then the two of them each took a slip of paper from the hat as it passed by.  
  
"Hey, Yami," a girl nearby asked. "What number did you get?"  
  
"Er...21," he replied. "Does it matter?" However, the girl didn't hear him.  
  
"21?!" she gasped. "I have 22! Maybe if you're the prince, I'm the princess!" she said, stars forming in her eyes. In no time at all, she was off in La-La Land. Yami sweatdropped, then turned to Yugi.  
  
"What about you?" In truth, he had hoped that he and Yugi could play the leading roles...Warmth spread across his cheeks just from thinking about it. But it was too much to hope for, and also impossible now that the teacher had set certain standards.  
  
"14," he said. "It doesn't really matter to me who I'll be." He paused, wondering for a minute if it really was true. He didn't care before since usually his grandpa would be the only one witnessing it. But now...he had Yami who would be watching him...and maybe even Jounouchi. Well, there was also one other thing. He hoped Yami would not get to be the prince or the princess because that would definitely mean he would have to kiss one of the girls in their class. He knew how much Yami disliked those fangirls, and thought it really wasn't fair that he had to follow the storyline so precisely. Also, just the idea of Yami with someone...For some reason he didn't like the image, but he didn't know why.  
  
Finally, after everyone had picked a piece of paper and written their numbers on the board, the teacher uncovered the roles that matched with the numbers. Every girl's eyes eagerly sought out Yami's roles first. Their hopes were shattered when it led to a blank, and some even fell down in frustration. Yami merely blinked at the empty space, happy he didn't have to act. After all, acting wasn't something he was interested in. Now it was time to find out who was the prince and princess...  
  
"WHAT?!" everyone said in unison.  
  
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Yugi and Yami were on their way home, walking since Yami's motorcycle still didn't work. There wasn't a lot of homework today like they had expected after a long delay from school, so they took their time. Yugi was silent, still in the aftershock of drama class. "M-me? I'm the princess?" he had never played a female's role before.  
  
"Aren't you excited?" Yami asked him. Yugi looked at him with a slight frown on his face.  
  
"Not really...The prince is Mika, the most disgusting girl in our school. She rarely washes or brushes her hair or teeth. I'm going to have to kiss her, you know..." Yami bristled at the thought, but he managed to keep Yugi from seeing.  
  
"On the lips?" he asked, staring at the ground intently.  
  
"Yeah..." Yugi put his hand to his head. "Oh, the humiliation..." Yami smiled slightly at the other's reaction, pushing aside his traces of jealousy.  
  
"Don't worry. It'll be fun!" he grinned at the smaller boy, trying to cheer him up. "You're the princess! You have the main role! Isn't that cool?"  
  
"I-I guess..." Yugi said, also shifting his gaze to the sidewalk. "It's too bad you don't have a part."  
  
"Yeah, I'm a substitute, in case someone is absent that night. But I'm glad. I'm not into acting that much..."  
  
"Then it's a good thing. But imagine if you got the role of the prince..." Yami froze, but thankfully they were at a corner and were waiting to cross the street, so it wasn't noticeable. He stared at Yugi with his heart thumping. Did he mean what Yami hoped he meant? "All the girls in the audience would be gawking at you and no one would be able to pay attention to the actual play!" Yugi finished with a giggle. Yami released the breath he was holding, rather disappointed, but then again, how could he expect such feelings from someone so sweet and pure?  
  
"You really think I'm that much of something to gawk at?" he asked with a sigh as they started to walk again.  
  
"Well...yes..." Yami was surprised by his answer, and looked at him in a confused yet slightly hopeful manner, waiting for him to continue. Yugi's face turned a deep red when he realized what he just said. The words were out before he even knew it. "Um...nevermind..." he kicked a stray pebbled, still blushing. 'Where did that come from?' he wondered, although he knew it was probably his subconscious mind. Yami's eyes lingered on the small boy a bit longer before looking away, also feeling heat rise to his cheeks as he thought about what Yugi just said. They continued walking in silence.  
  
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Night had come quickly, with both boys being occupied. Yugi was practicing his script while Yami was flipping through the new books on Egypt he had taken out from the school library. As soon as he had gotten home, Yami had been reminded of his dilemma and continued to search for information on his past, but he was no longer depressed. The good events of the day had really helped to cheer him up. Sugoroku had just announced after dinner that he had to go to an important meeting with his friend Arthur Hopkins, and would be back very late at night. This left the house with a very quiet and peaceful atmosphere, a perfect time for reading books. Yugi and Yami were both seated on the large couch in the living room, a dim lamp being their only light. However, both boys found it enjoyable for it made the room seem warm and cozy with its orange light, almost as if there was a fire in the room.  
  
Yugi let out a sigh of exasperation and put down his script book. "This is harder than I thought. The princess has such a strange accent that you can barely understand what she says!" He leaned his head back into the cushion of the sofa. "Plus there are so many action scenes. How am I supposed to know how to dance barefooted in the grass with a bunch of wild animals? And I definitely don't have any idea on how to dance with someone else!" He intended to only be talking to himself, which he often did to vent out his frustration, so he didn't expect it to catch Yami's attention. The taller teen looked up from his own book and watched as Yugi continued staring evilly at the pages.  
  
"You know, Yugi," he began. "I used to take dance lessons at my old school. Would you like me to give you a few pointers?" Yugi nearly jumping in surprise when he heard Yami's voice.  
  
"Could you really?" he asked, blinking. It was a innocent enough question. "I could always buy a dance book or something." Yami shook his head.  
  
"The best way is through actual experience," he insisted, setting aside his pile of textbooks. He reached his hand out in a formal manner. "May I have this dance?" he asked in a mock British accent, and Yugi couldn't help but giggle as he accepted and got up. The laughter soon stopped when he was pulled against Yami and an arm wrapped around his waist to hold him in that position.  
  
"U-um...Yami..." he started to protest, a blush staining his pale cheeks.  
  
"Shh...Just pretend you're actually the princess," Yami said to him. "This is the usual dancing position used in all fairytales. Now you have to put your left hand on my shoulder." After Yugi had followed his instructions, Yami took the other's free hand in his. Yugi blinked rapidly, noticing his face was very close to Yami's, like the time he had nearly fallen when he went down the bus steps, except now there was no danger. Yami didn't have to hold him close. He just wanted to. "Yugi, you have to look up," Yami said when he saw Yugi was staring at his neck buckle, which was exactly at his eye level. Slowly the boy glanced up, and Yami was captivated by those clear, beautiful violet eyes, almost glassy as orange light was reflected in them. He swallowed, not knowing if he could resist this time, but Yugi needed to learn how to dance if he wanted to do well in the play. That was the main reason...right?  
  
He started to lead Yugi into the simplest steps he remembered, a series of awkward movements at first, but Yugi was a quick learner. He tried to remember every step Yami made and get into the rhythm like Yami instructed, even though there was no music. Soon their bodies melded together and they moved gracefully as one across the carpeted floor. As Yami continued to whisper more words of advice, Yugi became even more acutely aware how close they were, but there was no objection from either his mind or his body. He had never before experienced something as extraordinary as this. His entire body tingled as they swayed to the imaginative beat, and his breath caught in his throat every time they passed the lamp, where the orange glow bathed Yami's face in the rich tone, and made his ruby red eyes seem like liquid fire.  
  
After a while, Yami stopped talking completely and the two teens just danced in silence, at a slow yet very intimate pace. Toes were no longer stepped on and the movements were smooth and natural. Yami was quite surprised that Yugi had been able to master slow dancing so easily, but it only made him love the boy even more. Both their eyes were half-lidded, having lost themselves in the other's for what seemed like hours, until everything seemed like a dream, a sweet wonderful dream. Somehow, Yugi felt so comfortable in Yami's arms, and the strange new feeling in the pit of his stomach subsided whenever he was this close to the other. However, something still tugged at him from inside, that pulled him even closer to Yami, or wanted to be even closer. He was confused, but at the time being, his mind was completely melted into mush and all he could register was the light-headed feeling of joy, and he never wanted to let go.  
  
Not that Yami would have let him, anyway. His arm was tightly fastened around his waist in a firm but gentle grip as he stared deeply into those endless pools of amethyst. He could see right through them into Yugi's soul and view the inner meltdown. Those violet orbs shone even more brightly behind the fringe of golden bangs and his cheeks slowly flushed pink with happiness, a simply irresistible sight. Ignoring his better judgment, Yami's eyes fastened on the soft lips presented to him, allowing himself to be pulled in until their faces were so close the slightest movement would result in the two mouths touching.  
  
Yugi felt the tug within him grow stronger as Yami lowered his head slowly, his molten eyes nearly completely closed. He mirrored his gaze, closing his own amethyst ones all the way, and Yami noticed for a split second how long and delicate Yugi's eyelashes were before shutting his eyes as well. Before Yugi knew what he was doing, he leaned upwards, his lips gently meeting Yami's. It seemed exactly what his body wanted and needed to placate the strange tug. Warmth wrapped around both of them at the contact and spread through their bodies, an amazing sensation for both of them. Yami was surprised at the action, but he took it as an encouragement. He pressed back firmly against Yugi's lips, finding them to be exactly as he imagined- soft, pliant, and sweet, and they seemed to melt right into his own mouth. All his senses failed when he tasted the syrupy sweetness, and he could no longer even think about pulling away. At that very moment, he wanted more than ever to devour those lips completely, but he kept it as a gentle kiss, slightly open-mouthed so the tastes of their mouths could seep through. Yugi involuntarily pressed in further, drawn to the strong sweet and spicy flavor that seemed to spill in large quantities from Yami's lips. Both completely ignored the worries and confusion of their brains and relied purely on their instincts and what their hearts had wanted for a long time.  
  
When they finally parted, both of their faces were bright red and their breaths uneven. Yami remained in a daze, the smaller boy's taste still lingering on his mouth as he regarded the other. "Y-Yugi?" he whispered breathlessly, wondering what he would think once he came to his senses. Yami's voice helped to reawaken Yugi's brain, and he reacted just as Yami had feared. He looked up at the other with large, bewildered eyes as he processed what had just happened, and the sudden panic and confusion overpowered what his heart was trying to say, that he had enjoyed his very first kiss. Yugi backed away, out of Yami's arms to which there was no resistance, and scrambled to get out of the room in a blind hurry, unable to speak. Yami could only stand there, his heart shattered as he watched the bewildered boy run up the stairs, the soft "I'm sorry," he murmured never getting a chance to reach Yugi's ears.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
YAY!! *streamers appear and fireworks explode* They finally kissed!! ^_____^ But poor Yugi got so confused by his feelings...;__; I'm sorry it wasn't as happy as a kiss is supposed to be!! __ But, of course, Yugi and Yami will get together in the end. Then...POINTLESS FLUFF!! ^___^ But first I need opinions of this kissing scene. Um...how was it? Good? Bad? Sad? Predictable?  
  
Yami: *snorts* Of course it was predictable. You told them about four chapters ago!  
  
YXW: Hey! ;___; Be gentle! I easily get upset at this time! There's only 3 more days of vacation left and I still haven't even started my final copy of the Math Research Paper!! ,-___-,  
  
Yugi: *sniffs* It was saaad!! *wails* Why did you make me run away like that?!  
  
YXW: Aww...I'm so sorry, Yugi...*pats him on the back* You two will have a nice, happy, passionate kiss soon, I promise...Right now, you need to sort out your feelings a little bit...  
  
Yugi: Well...okay! ^___^  
  
Difinity: By the way, when did you two get back?  
  
Yami: Right when the play was announced. Yugi's the princess! ^____^  
  
Yugi: Eheh...^___^'  
  
Yami: I wanted to be the prince...  
  
Yugi: *blush*  
  
YXW: Doesn't everyone? ^^ It would've been so kawaii! But the drama teacher just had to set that rule...  
  
Bakura: *pops in* Ahem.  
  
YXW: Ah, oops! ^__^;; Gomen, gomen, Bakura-san! I was so mean to poor Ryou...;__; I promise he'll be all better in the next chapter! Also, there will be some more plot too. I guess this chapter was mostly just pointless fluff...Oh, well. ^__^  
  
Difinity: Please r/r and please don't kill her for the long wait!  
  
YXW: ^___^;; Anyway, I wish everyone a Merry Late Christmas and a Happy, Yu- Gi-Oh-ful New Year!!! 


	16. Chapter 16: Awkward Aftereffects

AAACK!!! GOMEN NASAI!! X____X I know, I know, I haven't updated ever since last year! And I'm SO SO SO SO SORRY about that!! Please don't kill me!!! *whimpers in fear* Anyway, I really really appreciate all the reviews I've gotten for chapter 15!!! *bows down to everyone* I never would've thought...522...O___# *gets a black eye* Unfortunately the Yamis aren't around today. They claimed the contract had a free day off with every new year or something like that...But I wouldn't make a good lawyer, so I can't argue with them. Plus the contract...*eyes glance at a mountain of papers 15 meters high* ^^;;; If anyone would like to check for me, I would be very thankful!  
  
Difinity: *mumbling to herself* Where did those Yugis run off to? *sigh* Sorry, YXW. I can't find them either.  
  
-___- It's okay...I'm sure they're having fun with the Yamis on their free day off...^o^  
  
Difinity: ^____^ Don't worry. I'm still here.  
  
Yeah...But I guess I'll have to do the disclaimer again...why can't YGO just be mine? It would make things a whole lot easier...  
  
Difinity: It's okay. I'll do it this time.  
  
*tears in her eyes* Really?? Thank youuuu!!! *glomp*  
  
Difinity: Okay. Yo Xi Wang does not own Yu-Gi-Oh or anybody from it. This story is Y-A-O-I (mostly Yugi/Yami and some Ryou/Bakura) and contains Anzu bashing. Yugi and Yami are also two different people, but some aspects follow the show so it's semi-AU. Um, I think that's it.  
  
*recovers* I would also like to thank Yami's Aibou, kidvicious, Mero-chan, Merodi no Yami, thockie, dillydally, Sincere SeReNiTy, jeti, babygurl, Mai Kujaku, HikariSpirit, Kena Star, and moonnymph for putting me on your favs list! *cries in happiness* Also, thank you everybody who had the patience to wait this long for this update. I know it's been a long time. Hopefully this makes up for it. Hopefully...  
  
Bakura: Yeah, "hopefully"...  
  
*evil glare* You know Ryou's life is hanging in the balance, right?  
  
Bakura: Eep. *shuts up*  
  
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Chapter 16  
  
Bakura collapsed on the bed wearily, exhausted. After he had gotten home, Ryou's mother had confronted him immediately and dragged him outside to do a bunch of outside chores. He had spent the entire afternoon mowing the lawn, taking out the trash, washing the dinners, painting the garage wall, and a number of other activities. He came to find out just how scary Ryou's mother could be when her directions weren't followed properly, especially with the fact that he knew nothing of the new inventions and gadgets of the human world. It wasn't until dark that he had a chance to be alone. After catching a few breaths, he entered the Millennium Ring once again and crept down the dark hallway. He slowly opened the door to Ryou's soul room.  
  
The young boy was still lying there unconscious. Now the smell of blood had been completely absorbed into the air, and Bakura nearly choked on the deathly stench. He looked at the limp body and shuddered slightly, something he rarely did before. He moved closer and settled on the edge of the bed, taking a good look at Ryou's features. The boy's eyes were still open, his brown orbs dull and without life. Even the irises didn't hold a trace of the sparkle that once resided in them. Bakura felt a wave of panic run through him when he studied those eyes and seized a pale arm, fumbling for the right vein. There was nothing at first. His gripped tightened even more until his fingers left marks on the skin, but he didn't care. The boy couldn't be dead. He just couldn't. At least, not yet. He finally found one, one shallow beat followed by another, but the pace was very slow.  
  
Bakura scowled and sat back to mull over his choices. One: let the boy die. But he did NOT want to deal with that mother again and he needed the body. Without a true soul, it would slowly deteriorate and he would not be able to accomplish his goal. Two: wrap his bandages. Bakura grimaced at the mere thought of helping and immediately declared it useless since the body had lost a lot of blood anyway and it had basically stopped. Three: use his own life energy to revive the boy just enough so he can live. This choice also left a vile taste in his mouth. Or four: do nothing, which would also result in death. He glared at the limp body but took notice of the huge amount of broken bones. There was no other way to fix them except with magic.  
  
'He's going to owe me big,' he thought, then a wicked smile formed on his face at the thoughts of what he could do as payment. He laid a finger non- too gently on Ryou's chest and began to let his energy escape across while mumbling a spell. The life force partially mended the bones in the boy's chest, enough so he could live, and put all the other bones in the body back in place. Having done his part, Bakura stood up and folded his arms, watching the frail teen through cold steely eyes. If this didn't work, he wouldn't even bother anymore. He was silent as he waited impatiently.  
  
As if stimulated by the life energy, Ryou's heart began pumping faster, only slightly and whatever blood was left was quickly starting to refill by the activity. The lungs, in turn, started to allow breathing again and gentle, shallow breaths escaped the white-haired teen. Bakura eyed him, taking note of the small rise and fall of his chest. 'Good. He'll live.' With his part done, he turned to leave but stopped in the middle of the room. The smell...it was annoying. He normally couldn't have cared less since he wasn't the one who was going to live here, but the stench might knock out the already weak boy again. Calmly, he pulled the stained bedsheet from out under the body in the swift motion and threw it out a nearby window by means of magic. The bedsheet was lost forever in the abyss of the Millennium Ring. It was a good thing the blood didn't soak much onto the actual bed. Already the air was beginning to clear, and Ryou started to stir.  
  
"Ow..." Ryou groaned, slowly opening his eyes. His entire body was sore and he had a major headache, but the pain was bearable. The sound of footsteps startled him and through his blurry vision, he could barely distinguish a silhouetted figure as it exited his soul room hastily, slamming the door close behind it. 'B-Bakura?' he wondered before re-closing his eyes and falling asleep.  
  
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Yugi buried his head under his blanket covers, curling into a ball. His heart was beating so fast that he could hear the loud pounding in his ears. His eyes were blurry with fresh tears of confusion and panic. The kiss kept on replaying in his mind. The whole scene...it all seemed like a dream, and at the moment he wished it was. It wasn't because of the kiss itself...no, Yami's lips were quite gentle although firm...Yugi blushed deeply and lowered his head. It was because...because...he liked it...He couldn't deny that. It was a new and completely mind-blowing experience that made his senses melt. The voice of reason in his head was the only thing that caused him to pull away. It kept on repeating that Yami was his best friend...one of the very few he had ever had. And Yami was...the same gender as himself. Somehow, this news didn't seem like such a shock to Yugi. Ever since he was young, he hadn't come in contact with many people, so he didn't know what he was like in terms of attraction.  
  
'Wait. Does that mean I...like Yami?' At this thought, Yugi's cheeks flamed. He didn't know what to make of it. He knew he and Yami were very close, maybe even at the same level as brothers. Yami was always there to protect him. Always. He couldn't even measure the huge amount of possessiveness Yami had for him now that he thought about it this way...Still, the confusion remained. Hadn't he been the one who first leaned forward? He didn't even realize why at the time...until Yami responded. Did he want Yami to do that? Maybe it was just the effect of a first kiss...or the mood that the dance set...Come to think of it, why had they danced together so willingly? Was it just for the sake of the play or perhaps...something more? But it all came down to what he was feeling...His mind dared not venture into that area. There were hundreds of different answers in his head and he wasn't in the condition or mood to sort them out. Vaguely he wondered what Yami was thinking and realized that he truly didn't know. He had just ran upstairs without even looking at him.  
  
He decided finally that he needed to wash his face and clear away his tears, which had unconsciously stopped falling. He sniffled a few times, then grabbed his cup and toothbrush from a shelf and headed for the bathroom. Neither he nor Yami were aware of the other's presence when they bumped into each other in the hall. The cup fell with a soft thud on the carpet. Yugi blinked and looked up at Yami, who also held some surprise and confusion in his red eyes. The thick silence made both feel rather uneasy, but they couldn't turn away. Yami immediately took notice of the tear streaks down Yugi's face and felt the pang of guilt strengthen. Yugi gulped and was partially relieved when Yami bent down to retrieve his cup. The taller boy handed him the object with eyes glued to the floor, and Yugi accepted in a similar fashion. Without a word, each went their separate ways.  
  
When Yugi got to the bathroom, he quickly slid onto the floor against the shut door, his heart beating wildly and his legs having lost their strength. He realized with a start that his face was hot, but he didn't know if it was from crying or...seeing Yami again. Quickly he splashed cold water on his face and proceeded to get ready for an early bed. He felt much better as he exited about half an hour later. As he walked by Yami's room, he could hear a faint cluttering sound through the slightly ajar door. Curiosity got the better of him and he looked through the crack in the door. Yami was digging through his box of belongings again, but unlike what Yugi expected, he took out a small, fragile lavender. Yugi noted with surprise that it was the only he had given Yami to use as a bookmark for the many books on Egypt he had been reading recently. He had no idea it wasn't used at all but kept in his special box. When Yami finally lifted his face, Yugi nearly gasped. The fiery red eyes he once knew were a dull color that seemed to hold back the teen's emotions. Yami smiled wryly at the flower, fingering it gently, his eyes beginning to water but no tears fell. The hurt expression that crossed his face was quickly masked again. He clutched his remembrance of Yugi tightly, then with finality, shoved it under the bed and replaced his box as well, only this time he knew he would never look for the lavender again.  
  
Yugi jerked his head back, tears silently flowing down his face. Had he...hurt Yami that badly? He honestly didn't mean to. More than anything, he wanted to run in and apologize...and comfort Yami like the other had done for him so many times...He was confused and even a little frightened, but he still cared for Yami. He still wanted to be his friend...He didn't want...He couldn't imagine not having anyone there for him anymore. But all Yugi could do was huddle there against the wall and numbly cried himself to sleep.  
  
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Yugi's eyes fluttered open slowly and he looked around groggily. His eyes were sticky with last night tears, but he blinked to clear them partially. Immediately he noticed his cheek was against something soft. He looked down in surprise at his own pillow. "A dream?" he mumbled. He remembered he had fallen asleep on the floor...or was that just his imagination? The sky was still gray with the early morning clouds and promise of rain. He realized he had woken up early, but for some reason he wasn't sleepy anymore. Still not fully awake, though, he staggered to the bathroom and closed the door behind him.  
  
Sugoroku had just finished dusting the outside of the Game Shop. He looked at the dreary sky and sighed. The weather seemed to match his mood perfectly. Yesterday night he had come home, cheerful that he had made a good deal to get more archaeological equipment, but at the sight of his grandson lying on the floor had quickly caused him to panic. He was relieved to see that Yugi was merely asleep and, without much difficulty, carried the boy and laid him on his own bed. He then checked on Yami, making sure he was all right as well. But from the scene that had greeted him when he got home, he knew something must have been wrong. Just as he reentered the shop, Yami came stumbling down the stairs.  
  
"Morning...Mr. Mutou," he said politely, still rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Good morning, Yami," Sugoroku replied, ignoring the formality. "Breakfast is on the table." Yami nodded and was careful not to look at Yugi's grandfather, who still hadn't seen the difference in his eyes. He seated himself half-heartedly and tried his best to appear cheerful.  
  
"Mmm, these are good!" he mumbled through a mouthful of waffles. He forced his eyes to appear normal when he felt Sugoroku study him with intense eyes. The elderly man, however, knew better. The tone of his normally rich, deep voice was different and lacked emotion. He also took a seat, laying his broom to the side. He didn't want to spoil the teen's appetite, but it seemed as if he didn't have one anyway.  
  
"Yami," he began, then paused and wondered if it was wise. He finally decided Yami would most likely be able to keep himself together while he was telling the tale. "Did something happen between you and Yugi last night?" Visibly the crimson-eyed boy's grip tightened on his fork.  
  
"What makes you ask that?" he said, hand shaking slightly.  
  
"Yami," Sugoroku said seriously. "You seem upset, and I'm sure Yugi is too. He was crying in his sleep when I came home." Yami's head sunk even lower at these words, knowing it was his fault. Finally he gritted his teeth and took a big breath, letting it out slowly.  
  
"This might come as a shock to you..." he said, his voice wavering but he was smiling slightly as he spoke and looked up. What was he supposed to say? Oh, I'm in love with your grandson and I just kissed him last night? He cursed the gods for giving him such a precious thing but never being able to have him. Sugoroku didn't mind the silence and waited patiently for an answer, also seeing pits of emptiness where Yami's eyes were supposed to be. Just then, the sound of tiny footsteps bounding down the stairs could be heard from the next room.  
  
"Morning, Grandpa! Morning, Yami!" Yugi bounded into the kitchen, fully awake now and enthusiastic as always. Sugoroku smiled a bit, but was also disappointed, and Yami froze in his chair. Yugi seemed...happy now. Did he really recover already? He didn't even realize that Yugi's grandpa responded until he was nudged in the arm by the gray-haired man. "Um...morning..." he said, turning his head. Yugi felt his insides nearly shatter when he saw the look in Yami's eyes. The lifelessness was still in them...which meant....He drew his mouth into a straight line to keep himself from breaking down.  
  
Yami could see him stiffen and the tiny speck of hope that had formed within him quickly faded away. He watched Yugi's amethyst eyes gloss over, bewilderment returning to them and also undeniable sadness. They had shone only seconds ago with the same light he was known for. Yami turned back to his breakfast, wondering if he would ever see those kinds of eyes look at him again.  
  
"Mmm, these taste great, Grandpa," Yugi also tried to feign cheerfulness, but his act was especially difficult to pull off. Sugoroku merely nodded. He put his head in his hands and continued watching the two boys attempt to eat with genuine concern.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The dull buzzing of the alarm clock awakened Ryou. He shifted a little in his sleep before fully opening his eyes to find himself in his own body and not in his soul room anymore. He looked himself over in surprise, seeing that there were no wounds on him whatsoever and strangely, he didn't feel weak at all. It must have been the wondrous effects of sleep. He felt this was the best rest he had had in a long time. In fact, he felt he had slept for ages. Soon confusion caught up to him and he suddenly found out he didn't remember anything from the days before.  
  
//You do have school today, so you'd better hurry up.// Bakura appeared in a transparent form in a nearby chair and snarled at the confused boy in disdain. Ryou looked at him with eyes still wide and flashbacks of his brief consciousness back in his soul room ran through his head. He continued staring and trying to decide if he should bring up the topic in fear that he would anger the spirit again. Bakura, the meantime, was growing annoyed at the boy's apparent lack of hearing, but he kept his rising frustration under control.  
  
"Um...was it just my imagination, or did you help heal my wounds last night?" Ryou scratched his head sheepishly as he asked for it truly all seemed like a dream. Bakura scowled, regretting the fact that he had bothered to clear away the mucky smell.  
  
//You would have died.// He said this coldly, as if he didn't care one way or another. He became bored quickly and turned to look out the window, using magic to part the blinds. Ryou watched him carefully and processed his words. At first he couldn't believe it. Perhaps Bakura actually had a heart? He shook his head internally, knowing immediately why his survival was so important. His dark half had said it countless times: "I need the body to complete my mission." Still he couldn't help but wonder if it was possible and felt the need to say something.  
  
"Well...um...thanks," he finally confessed, feeling very stupid as Bakura continued to look elsewhere, apparently not paying him any attention. The dark spirit scoffed and waved his hand towards the bathroom to remind Ryou to get ready for school. With a nervous chuckle, the smaller teen obliged. When he left the room, Bakura let out a sigh. Humans these days. They always have to be so polite. If he was back in Ancient Egypt, the most he would receive was a grunt of recognition and not exactly gratitude. Plus the boy's voice just had to be so sweet and high-pitched, making him sound so girlish. He would really need to teach the little worm a few things or two. And yet, he couldn't imagine Ryou any different from the way he was right now. He cleared his mind of these thoughts quickly. His first and most important focus was finding and getting payback at that filthy lucky Pharaoh. Then he would concentrate on changing his host, if he still felt like it. Slowly he began formulating a plan.  
  
//Hey, you. I need to use your body today after school...//  
  
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The whole day, there was a visible change in the behaviors of both Yugi and Yami. Even the teachers could tell something was different, but no one said anything. The two multi-color-haired boys were trying their best to appear normal, but the more they tried, the more obvious the problem was. Jounouchi had found them during lunch and even sat with them, but couldn't get more than a few nods or words out of each one.  
  
"Hey, guess what? I bought a booster pack yesterday from the shop in town square and it had the super rare Red Eyes Black Dragon in it!" Jounouchi smiled, still gloating over his triumph and good fortune.  
  
"That's good, Jounouchi," Yugi said, smiling. He continued to pick at his sandwich without much thought. Even the mentioning of Duel Monsters didn't spark his attention or brighten his mood. Likewise Yami wasn't as excited as he normally was when he heard about his favorite card game.  
  
"Yeah, good job. I bet now you can beat more people," he said this with fake excitement. Jounouchi merely frowned and sipped his drink quietly, forgetting his moment of glory temporarily.  
  
"Hey, guys..." he asked. "Did something happen yesterday? Or are you normally this quiet?"  
  
"Um...well..." Yugi and Yami said simultaneously and started to turn to look at each other as they usually did. Both stopped, however, deciding better of it, and turned away to stare at their food or at their friend. Yami didn't want to see that glazed, fearful look in Yugi's eyes and just the thought of Yami's crimson eyes as he had seen them yesterday made Yugi shudder. They could practically feel Jounouchi's worried eyes on both of them, but neither said a word.  
  
"Ah...sorry!" the blond said suddenly. "If it's personal, you don't have to tell!" Both Yami and Yugi felt relief wash over them and they let out the breaths they had been holding. They truly didn't think they could handle the embarrassment if Jounouchi found out. But the honey-haired boy was more compassionate than they thought, and Yugi especially was thankful he had such a good friend.  
  
When lunch ended, drama class was like a nightmare. Mika, the girl who was supposed to play the prince, was going gaga over her part and giggling whenever Yugi passed her. She knew very well what her character was supposed to do and couldn't help but be excited at the opportunity to kiss a boy, especially one as cute as Yugi and also considering the fact that it would also be her first. After all, no one really liked her, especially not the boys, but now she had one under her fingertips. The drama teacher also wasted no time in beginning rehearsals the very next day. They were broken into groups immediately to practice different scenes, and Yugi was incredibly relieved that he went with his assigned father and mother to rehearse the very beginning. Mika pouted as the teacher directed her to the opposite side of the room.  
  
Yami remained silent as he watched all this go on. He shifted his position to sit on the windowsill atop the heater and eyed the actors and actresses attempt to do their parts correctly. His eyes involuntarily sought out Yugi, but upon seeing the object of his affection, he felt the pain swell in his chest again as he was reminded of what he had done. He took a minute to let the guilt consume him and thought carefully on how Yugi might be feeling right now. The young boy would definitely be disgusted, or at least Yami was fairly sure of it. Confusion was obvious and so was depression. He could clearly tell by the way those lavender orbs had lost their sparkle. He imagined that Yugi would feel burdened by the new knowledge of how Yami felt about him and that he was expected to give some kind of answer. Yami didn't need one. He had already troubled the boy enough with his unusual feelings and he would be just as content watching from afar. Yugi would slowly recover. He was sure of it. And he would be satisfied with that.  
  
'No,' his mind said. He would not be satisfied with only Yugi's happiness. He craved the boy's forgiveness as well and wished they could go back to being as close and trusting with one another as they had before. Yami brought a hand up to his head. Was their friendship really over? Had just one mistake been able to tear them apart like that? Yami knew from the beginning he was taking a big risk and he vowed he would never reveal his feelings, but Yugi's actions had caught him off guard. The way those soft, tender lips eagerly brushed against his own had driven all sense out of his head and his instinct alone responded. Well, that, along with his desires. You could say that he had made a careless error, but now there seemed to be no way to change it. If he could only have Yugi's warm-hearted company back. Then he would be truly happy.  
  
But a major part of him was still aching for the boy to return his feelings, but it was highly unlikely in his opinion. He supposed it was what people call "wishful thinking." And more than anything right now, he wished for Yugi's love, for Yugi to want to kiss and embrace him as he so wanted to do to him. He often had dreams of the precious angel and every time he would wake up feeling lonely and empty, even if Yugi was right there next to him or even in his arms. Yami knew it wasn't for the reason he wanted it to be. Now all his hopes seemed to be crushed just like he had nearly crushed the frail flower Yugi had given him.  
  
"Hey, chin up!" Yami nearly jumped as a loud voice interrupted his thoughts. As he feared, Anzu had taken a break from her acting and was standing right next to him. This time, the girl's face didn't hold smugness or any kind of arrogance, just plain concern. "You seem depressed. You should cheer up," she said with the tone of a true cheerleader. Yami blinked a few times before replying.  
  
"Yes, I will. Thank you...um..."  
  
"Anzu. Anzu Masaki," she grinned, almost too cheesily.  
  
"...Masaki-san," he said. The name was foreign to his tongue, but he managed to pronounce it correctly. He turned back to the group of students politely, drawing one leg up to his chest while the other dangled freely.  
  
'God, he's so gorgeous...' Anzu nearly drooled at the simple gesture, ignoring that fact that Yami was being quite formal. She was suddenly at a loss for words as she watched the sunlight reflect off the black leather in various spots, trailing all the way down to his shoes. His eyes were cool and composed as he kept his face passive. Her plan to act kind to win his trust was completely forgotten and she could only stare at the godlike figure in front of her. She didn't hear or move at the sound of her group member's voices until finally they had to come and drag her away. The other girls, however, took a moment to appreciate the sight before also returning to their duties. Yami, however, was completely focused on his look-alike, who, unfortunately, didn't dare to look his way.  
  
"Yugi..."  
  
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Ryou was pacing in his soul room again, bored and with absolutely nothing to do. His body still hurt from the previous injuries, but they only did when he transformed back into spirit form. In his regular body he felt just fine. He had gotten used to the fact that he was technically only half of a soul. The lighter, purer half. But did that make Bakura evil? How could he be all evil, though, if he sustained his life? He still couldn't stop wondering about that. He was still rather frightened of the reckless inhabitant of the Millennium Ring, but he was starting to think Bakura only acted tough and mean to cover up his inner turmoil. Wasn't that usually the case?  
  
//Stop pacing! It's getting irritating.// Bakura's voice was accompanied with several growls. He was currently sitting on top of an overturned crate, his arms folded as he waited impatiently. //What time is it now?//  
  
/Not yet./ Ryou answered after checking his watch. He couldn't believe he was actually helping Bakura do this. But he had been forced and threatened into doing so, and he still shuddered when he thought of what the yami was capable of doing when he was really angry. First it was cutting class in the middle of the day...and now tricking one of the few boys who were actually well-behaved at his school. He just hoped he wouldn't be involved anymore once Bakura got what he wanted.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yami was packing the last of his books when he noticed something wedged between the locker slits. Cautiously he opened it and read over the neat handwriting. "Yami: Hello. Sorry I wasn't at school for the rest of the day. If it's not too much trouble, could you bring me my homework? Malik's kind of busy after school. I'll be waiting for you in the back room of the new arcade that just opened. I hope you can make it, and I'd be really grateful if you could. Sincerely, Ryou Bakura."  
  
Yami blinked. Why did Ryou ask him out of all people? He didn't even know the boy well, except for the fact that he had helped him recover after the fight with Ushio. But he could easily imagine the kind-hearted boy worrying over a missed homework assignment and decided he could help. After all, it was not like he had anything to do this afternoon...His face fell again when he remembered the times he and Yugi had spent just playing with the various toys and gadgets around the Game Shop.  
  
"Hey, Yami!" He turned around to find Jounouchi waving to him, Yugi tagging along beside him. "Do you wanna go to the new arcade that just opened? I heard they got the best pinball machines yet!" Yugi nodded to support the blond, some happiness regained in his eyes. Of course Yami couldn't say no, even though he knew Yugi probably hated him now. This way, he could also give the day's assignment to Ryou. It just seemed too perfect...  
  
The three boys arrived at the arcade almost immediately after school ended. Jounouchi raced over to the section of pinball machines while Yugi was eager to try out the racing games. His old spirit seemed to have returned just from the sight of a new challenge. Yami smiled softly after him. If only he could be that light-hearted too...He went as Ryou said to find the back room of the arcade and was surprised when there was no one at the prize counter. Another door behind the counter was clearly labeled "Storage," and he figured it was the right place. Slowly he pushed open the door and squinted in the red light that bathed the back room. Among the dozens of tokens, batteries, and whirling machines, he spotted a top of white hair, which was pink in the room's eerie glow. The figure seemed to be busy counting tokens and didn't notice him.  
  
"Hi, Ryou," Yami said, addressing the still-lowered head. "I didn't know you worked at an arcade." He started to take out some materials from his backpack when he was stopped by a cold snickering, malicious and full of triumph.  
  
"Didn't expect you would be this stupid," 'Ryou' finally raised his head and Yami was met with a pair of steely grayish brown orbs that seemed to flicker with hunger for revenge. Bakura couldn't help the smug smirk that tugged at his lips when he saw the shocked expression on Yami's face.  
  
"You!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
Hee...Obvious it was a trap, wasn't it? I know this chapter was sad and depressing (Y and Y still haven't gotten together yet! .), but I'm working on it...One of the upcoming chapters will be all happy and fluffy, though! ^____^  
  
Bakura: Thank GOODness you made Ryou get better! I would have strangled you if you didn't.  
  
Wow...does the great Bakura actually care??  
  
Bakura: I really am going to strangle you. You know that, right? Probably give you the Chinese water torture too...*grins*  
  
- . - Uh-huh, and then you wouldn't get any happiness. Strangle me today and there'll be no chappie tomorrow.  
  
Bakura: Mrrrr....  
  
I love authoress power! ^___^ And once again I apologize dearly for the lateness of this chapter. You could say I was stuck on whether to go to hyper fluff mode or not. ^ . ^;;  
  
Please r/r!  
  
P.S. If you're Chinese, I wish you a Happy Chinese New Year! (coming up on February 1) ^___^ 


	17. Chapter 17: Miracle of Love

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!! ^______^ It's a bit late, but fanfiction.net was put in read only mode on V-day. Anyway, here's a bunch of chocolates from me to all you wonderful readers/reviewers out there!! ~^ _ ^~ Thank you so much for all the reviews!! *bounces* Also thank you Identity Crisis, AngelsKitten, Authoress, JezKittyKittyKat, NT aka Aku- chan, and Akaisurayasha for adding me to your favorite authors lists! And to dillydally, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PIC!!! It's absolutely adorable!! ^___^ *squeals*  
  
Difinity: Here, I got some more cotton candy. ^^  
  
YXW: Wow! Thanks! *munches* I luv fluffy cotton candy!! ^__^ It puts me in a mood for fluff!  
  
Everyone else: Yay!  
  
YXW: I'm really sorry about all the sad stuff in the last chapter! I didn't plan for it to turn out that way, honest! ^^;; Poor Yugi and Yami!! *huggles Y and Y who are back from their vacation*  
  
Y and Y clones: We're back too...  
  
YXW: Oh, yes. We have another guest joining us! Let's welcome Sidekick Bob!!  
  
Sidekick Bob: Hi!  
  
YXW: Hi, Sidekick Bob! ^^ You're just in time! The Yamis are back to do the disclaimer! Ahem...  
  
Yamis: *BIG sigh and do the usual routine*  
  
YXW: *drooooooool* Oh, wow. So THAT'S what you got on your vacation! *referring to boxers with little island fruits on them*  
  
Yamis: *blush DEEP red*  
  
Difinity: Oh, yes, and we have another request! *clears throat* Authoress Skie would like to see you both do the disclaimer in nothing!! ^___^  
  
Yamis: O___O  
  
Yugis: *blush* Oh, my...  
  
YXW: ~^____^~ OMG! You're a genius, Authoress Skie! But I think that's a bit too hentaiish for the children reading this fic, if there are any. Still...*looks directly at the Yamis* ^__^  
  
Yamis: NO WAY!!!  
  
Sidekick Bob: Maybe we should leave them alone. It IS very very embarrassing, after all.  
  
Everyone else: *ignore and start to close in on the two Yamis*  
  
Yamis: EEK!! O___o *run away at hyper speed*  
  
YXW: *blinks* No!! Now there's no one to do the disclaimer!  
  
Sidekick Bob: It's okay. I'll do it! *piece of paper appears in hand* Yo Xi Wang does not, I repeat, does NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. This fanfic, as you should already know, is yaoi: boy/boy or in this case Yugi/Yami and Ryou/Bakura coming up soon. Also, beware of some Anzu bashing.  
  
Difinity: And "..." is for speaking, '...' is for thinking, /.../ and //...// is for communication via the Millennium Ring, :: ... :: is a telepathic voice, and ... are sounds.  
  
YXW: Now please move on the chapter!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 17  
  
"You!"  
  
Bakura's grin widened. "Yes. I'm glad to see you have some kind of memory." Yami just stared, at a loss for what to say.  
  
"What have you done with Ryou?" he demanded finally.  
  
"Oh, him? He's perfectly safe..." he fingered a tip of his Millennium Ring. "...in here. Why don't YOU have one of these objects?" the amusement was gone from his face to be replaced by a cold glare. He looked over Yami's body with somewhat envious eyes, knowing he would never have his own. How could it be, though? That the past Pharaoh from so long ago could be reincarnated millennia after with the exact same appearance and personality?  
  
Yami blinked in confusion. "I? I'm supposed to have one of those?" he didn't quite know what it was that hung around the enemy's neck, but he could sense a sort of magical aura around it. This new notion surprised him. Since when could he ever sense magic?  
  
"Yes, Pharaoh," Bakura spat. "You were. You were supposed to be trapped in it until thousands of years later you would find your soul partner whom you will share your body with so you could somewhat live again." He could feel himself shake with anger as he spoke. "But you got bloody lucky when someone shattered the Millennium Puzzle on the day of the ceremony!! You died like normal people...and here you are, somehow reborn, and having this...this...so HUMANLY life!!" The wrench he was holding was bent at such odd angles by the time he was done that it looked like it had gone through a machine crushing factory.  
  
Slowly, Yami processed the information just given to him. So this was why Bakura was so set on destroying him? He could understand now. Having to live for thousands of years trapped in some strange object must have been horrible. Still...it was hard to imagine he was a pharaoh, an actual pharaoh of Egypt a long time ago. He had once been royalty? And he was supposed to find a soul partner... Bakura had finally found Ryou, his destined partner. No wonder they looked so alike. Wait a minute...  
  
"These soul partners...are they supposed to look similar to us?"  
  
Bakura snarled before replying. "Of course, you idiot. They're supposed to be our light halves while we are their dark sides." He shot a glare right at Yami. "Or is this too complicated for you to comprehend?"  
  
Yami shook his head, knowing from the look on Bakura's face that he was done with questions. A light half...who looks very similar...'Yugi.' The teen flushed slightly when he thought of the angelic boy he had met and protected. That was why he was so gentle and pure, like light itself. So if he had gone through with what Bakura had done, he would currently be...He would have been with Yugi forever...Now that dream seemed so far off. He sighed, truly wishing things hadn't turned out the way they did. He wouldn't have minded being trapped if it meant guaranteed time with Yugi. His own feelings were really beginning to scare him now. People always said teenagers can never understand true love, that everything they experienced was only puppy love. But he cared about Yugi so much that it really seemed he was deeply and truly in love with the boy.  
  
Bakura studied the former Pharaoh's silence impatiently, but a glint of curiosity shone in his eyes. He could see unbelievable sadness in those crimson orbs along with shock and slight confusion. Strange that there was not even a speck of happiness or smugness like he had expected. Ah well. Now was not the time to dwell on emotions after his long search. He had finally found his target, and that was all that mattered. From deep inside the ring, he felt a strong current of protest and pity. //What do you want?// he snapped at Ryou's spirit.  
  
/The poor guy. This isn't right. He doesn't remember what happened and he didn't even have a choice back then. Why must you harm him?/ The white- haired boy was surprising assertive, his voice so strong and reasonable that Bakura almost started to have second thoughts.  
  
//I told you. I need revenge for his luck. He had always had the good life, living in luxury back then and escaping the vital ritual to seal away the forbidden power. I can't allow him to remain so lucky any longer.// At this Ryou fell silent. He sighed and gave in, retreating back into the privacy of his own soul room. Bakura was strangely not satisfied with shutting the other up, especially since Ryou seemed to be so upset by what he was about to do. 'What do I care, anyway?!' he thought to himself and turned back to Yami. "Are you done moping, you moron?" He summoned another dark energy ball in his hand.  
  
Yami snapped out of his small trance and got into a defending position, his face falling into one of concentration. He wasn't the greatest at athletics, but he couldn't let the white-haired demon get what he wanted. He didn't want to die yet. But the room was so cramped with all the machines and such...it would be hard to evade attacks.  
  
Bakura focused his magic and grinned wider. Quickly he launched the energy ball at Yami, but it missed its mark, as expected. Yami prepared for some kind of explosion behind him, but none came. Bakura smiled at his confusion. "I improved my attacks. They do mental damage only. One touch and they'll shut down your mind so you can never return to this world."  
  
Yami gulped nervously at the thought of suddenly blacking out. He had faced and learned to deal with physical pain before, but a psychological attack was completely new to him. He kept dodging as more energy balls came his way. The way they simply passed through objects and vanished into the wall behind him made them seem so harmless, but he knew it would be fatal if one of them hit living flesh. But what could he do besides evade?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Yea!" Jounouchi cried as he finally beat the racing game he had been trying for the past 20 minutes. Actually, he came in second, but that was only because Yugi was also driving. "Aw, you beat me again!" He turned sideways and slumped into his arcade seat while Yugi simply giggled slightly.  
  
"Come on, Jounouchi. At least it was close this time," he said.  
  
"I suppose..." the blond suddenly perked up and looked around the arcade quickly. "Hey, have you seen Yami?" Yugi face faltered a bit, but worry shone in his eyes. He shook his head. Jounouchi, immediately forgetting about the game they were playing, and got up to get a better look. "Maybe he left?"  
  
"No, he wouldn't do that," Yugi said quickly. The feeling to defend Yami still remained even though they weren't getting along too well...That was an understatement. Yami now seemed so devoid of emotion, and Yugi knew he was to blame. But what else could he have done in that situation? All his life, he had never been prepared for something like that, and he just...lacked so much experience.  
  
"C'mon. Let's go find him." Jounouchi started to walk in the direction of the restrooms while Yugi went the opposite way.  
  
"Yami..." Yugi whispered.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Bakura was just beginning to warm up when he fired those small, easily evaded energy balls. Gradually he had made his attacks bigger and faster, going slow purposely to toy with his opponent. He was having enormous pleasure in watching the regal Pharaoh he knew a long time ago stumble over mere magic shots.  
  
/He doesn't even have magic of his own to defend himself./ Ryou piped up, but Bakura simply ignored him. Nothing would ruin his fun now. He could destroy Yami right now, but he would wait...  
  
Yami breathed heavily, sweating from his attempts to dodge the attacks, but it was getting increasingly harder and he was getting even more tired. It definitely looked like a losing battle. In between jumps and ducks, he glared at Bakura. He had done nothing wrong. Why did the spirit insist on killing him? Yami was so caught up in watching the dark magic balls that he didn't notice the large wire on the ground running through some crates. He tripped over it, losing his balance, and the wire snapped out of its socket. The lights flickered before going out. Yami struggled to keep a standing position, but it was too late. A large purple ball was coming right at him. In panic, he shut his eyes tightly and held out his hands to brace for the impact.  
  
There was a sudden flash in the dark room followed by a glow of two different colors. Yami slowly opened his eyes in confusion and found his hands had formed a bluish film over his body, keeping the purple energy ball from reaching him. He was actually holding the bundle of magic in his hands! With a grunt, he pushed hard and amazingly, the ball was deflected right back at Bakura.  
  
The Millennium Ring owner, still in some shock at what he just saw, almost didn't detect his own magic coming back at him. At the last minute he jumped aside, and the dark energy crashed and disappeared right into the token machine behind him. Bakura stared afterwards for a few moments, but then turned his attention back to his target, whom he could barely make out in the darkness.  
  
Yami caught his breath during the small time he had and examined his own hands. How had he just deflected that attack? Was it possible he could use magic too? He tried again, pretending another attack was just about to hit him and his hands surged again with energy. The blue bubble encased him again, filling his body with warmth. He clenched his fists again and the magical shield disappeared. So he could control it...He had no more time to marvel at his new powers for Bakura had already recovered.  
  
"So, it appears you do have some leftover magic after all," he said, stepping back to his previous spot. "It just makes things more interesting, don't you think?" And he began to summon more energy balls.  
  
The two clashed for a while, Yami's only defense also serving as offense, but it seemed as if Bakura could always sense his reflected magic shots way before they reached him. Yami wondered if he could ever win after several tries and not one of them landing on its mark. Bakura was growing bored and decided to finally end it. He powered up a massive ball of dark purplish energy and focused it into a beam and aimed it straight at Yami.  
  
The tri-color-haired boy barely caught the beam before it hit him, his thin blue shield serving little good to block the attack. He could feel the beam eat away at his hands, which were already turning numb. His weak shield seemed like nothing compared to this ultra-powerful beam. Bakura kept his hands outstretched and the beam going. He could taste victory so very soon...  
  
"Stubborn, aren't you, Pharaoh?" he teased and intensified the dark beam, which Yami responded by strengthening his shield. He couldn't reply since he was too busy concentrating on his magic. "Why bother resisting?" Bakura continued. "It's not like you have anything to live for."  
  
The while-haired teen had only been joking, of course. But unbeknownst to him, those words struck a chord deep within Yami. Flashbacks of all that had happened in a few months' time ran through the past Pharaoh. Visions of his friends back at Goldfield High, from which he left and moved. Then his parents...whom he thought he could always rely on, turned out to be a lie. And now Yugi, the one person in the world he adored the most, was gone as well. The young boy wouldn't speak or even look at him...all because of his stupidity. Was he all alone now? Bakura was right. What DID he have to live for now?  
  
His magic shield, as if sensing his faltering emotions began to weaken. Since it fed off Yami's mental strength, the growing lack of will to live took out a huge chunk of its power. As Yami fell into a pit of depression and doubt, the void in his heart grew...until the blue energy bubble grew so thin it was as delicate as thread. Yami only had a split second to register the beam coming before it actually hit him. The dark energy ran straight through his head on full force, its ultimate target. Yami was struck back by the beam's intensity, then his body went limp and he keeled over. There was only one thing in his mind and on his lips during his last seconds. 'Yugi...'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Aah!" Yugi clutched his chest at the sudden pain there. He could feel his heartbeat through his hand. It was alarmingly fast.  
  
"Yugi! You all right?" Jounouchi ran up to his friend who was bent over in pain. Yugi quietly nodded, insisting it was nothing. Still with a doubtful look on his face, Jounouchi sighed. "I've been everywhere. No luck. I really don't think he's in this arcade anymore."  
  
"No! He...is!" Yugi protested. "I think...something happened...We have to find him!" The boy stumbled to his feet and started running to where his instincts told him to-the counter.  
  
"Good idea!" Jounouchi agreed, only he thought they were going to ask for help. Both were surprised when there was no one there, but Yugi wasn't convinced. "Come on. Let's check the snack stand." Jounouchi's words didn't even reach Yugi as his violet eyes searched the counter frantically, noting that it was unusually dark beyond the door labeled "storage." Without a word, he rushed forward...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
At first Bakura couldn't believe how easily Yami's shield had broken. It had been strong, almost matching his beam, but suddenly it just disappeared and let its owner take the full force of his attack. Now, though, he could bask in his glory and be free of his previous burdens. It didn't matter now if he lived or died for his revenge was complete. He smirked and jumped back into the shadows just as the door to the now completely dark room opened.  
  
/...Are you happy now?/ Bakura was surprised at the coldness in the mental voice. /What you did was wrong and you know it./ Ryou glared (or tried to) up at the ceiling of his soul room, knowing that the spirit could hear him. It was one thing to be told that Bakura was going to kill someone, another when he actually did it. Ryou couldn't stand it anymore, even if it meant getting beaten up again or even killed himself. He should have tried to stop this much sooner.  
  
//Oh, shut up. I don't have or need a conscience, you know.// Bakura growled back. With one last satisfied look back at the limp body (A/N: *sobs*), he melted back into the darkness he loved so much. There was no where he had in mind of going, so he might as well kill some time before going back to Ryou's house and facing the wrath of the chore-obsessed mother.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Yami!" Yugi called into the darkness. His voice was panicky and fearful. "Please answer me!!"  
  
"Geez, you think they could at least turn on a light..." Jounouchi mumbled as he stepped in to join Yugi. "Yea, if you're in here, say something!"  
  
No answer except for the soft hum of machines that weren't unplugged during the battle.  
  
"Yami..." Yugi bit his lip to keep from crying again. He turned to face Jounouchi. "Maybe he's unconscious..."  
  
"Whoa, don't jump to conclusions too soon. We first need to find the light," the blond reassured him. Then, noticing the wire, he plugged it back into the socket. Immediately the blinding yellowish light bathed the room again, and Yugi and Jounouchi had to blink several times before they were adjusted to the weird glow. They marveled at the number of machines and conveyer belts that occupied the room. Tokens and such littered the floor as well. And finally...their eyes fell on the figure that lay amongst the objects and gasped.  
  
"Yami!!" The small boy couldn't hold back any longer. Tears welled from his eyes as he ran over to the lifeless body, Jounouchi right behind. "W-What happened to him?"  
  
"I dunno. There's no blood or anything..." Jounouchi remarked, stumped. "Maybe he just fainted?"  
  
"Yeah, but he's still hurt!" Yugi said. He brought his fingers over to brush the matted bangs away from Yami's face. They were damp with ice cold sweat... "Call an ambulance!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Bakura could hear the faint siren of the city's ambulance sound in the distance and smiled to himself. Let the fools try and revive him. It wouldn't do any good. His mind had long fallen into chaos and will eventually destroy itself. He had closed the link between him and the Millennium Ring, but Ryou's voice still remained in his head.  
  
"/What you did was wrong and you know it./"  
  
The white-haired teen shook his head. What did he care anyway? It was just the boy's opinion, nothing more. His long suppressed conscience couldn't be returning...No way. It wasn't possible. Suddenly he found himself almost recalling Ryou's sad face, angry but with determination at the same time. It was rather...different from what Bakura was used to seeing. He was a bit unnerved that he would be thinking this deeply into things and with some difficulty, pushed it to the back of his mind. He thought better while in his own soul room anyway.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yugi sat still in the backseat of the ambulance, his hands folded in his lap as he looked down at the floor. After Jounouchi had called, he had gone off in search of Yugi's grandpa, who Yugi said was also Yami's guardian at the moment. The emergency doctors had come minutes later and found out that Yami wasn't breathing. He currently had an oxygen mask on and was on various other contraptions as he lay opposite from Yugi. The small boy lifted his head a little to look at his friend and felt a pang of guilt run through him. He couldn't help but think this was his fault. No, he knew it was his fault. The Yami he knew would never pass out like this. The Yami he knew was strong and smart and kind and courageous. He just hoped he had made a mistake back in the storage room.  
  
Before the ambulances had came, Yugi had tried to check for a pulse. First he had felt the wrist, but didn't find anything at all. He had even put his head to Yami's chest to listen for a heartbeat...but the results were the same. He had tried convincing himself that Yami's heart was simply beating very slowly and very softly so it was hard to detect. It wasn't...He wasn't...  
  
After what seemed like hours, the ambulance finally arrived at the hospital, the best in the city, in fact. Many nurses and helpers came out quickly and transferred Yami onto a stretcher, which they wheeled into the building. Yugi followed alongside the whole time, until he was finally told to wait outside the emergency room. As he sunk into a chair, he felt undeniably cold and numb despite the heating in the room. One final tear slipped down his cheek before he willed himself to be calm and resist the urge to barge into the room and take whatever the doctors were doing into his own hands. Yami couldn't die...  
  
Without noticing it, Yugi started to fall asleep.  
  
:: Yu...gi... Can...you...hear...me? :: The voice was soft and hesitant. Yugi nearly jerked awake, but something kept him stuck inside the dream- like state.  
  
'W-who are you?' he called out mentally into the swirling clouds of purple.  
  
:: That's...not...important... I...must...tell...you...something...about...Yami... :: There was a brief pause before the voice continued. :: His...mind...has...been...injured... It's...nothing...doctors...can...treat... He...can...survive...but...only...if...he...wants...to... It's...the...only...way... :: Suddenly there was a click and all connection Yugi felt to the mysterious voice vanished.  
  
'Wait! Who are you...?' But only the echoes of his own voice answered.  
  
In reality, Yugi snapped out of his trance and looked around. The same old hospital waiting room met his eyes, confirming that it was a dream. He thought back on the strange voice's words and wondered if he could trust them or not. However, it did seem to be the case since Yami wasn't bleeding or even bruised when Yugi and Jounouchi had found him. 'Only if he wants to...'  
  
"Mr. Yugi Mutou?" a nurse finally called into the otherwise vacant room. Yugi immediately perked up, shaking himself out of his thoughts. "You can come see him now. Dr. Remon is inside waiting for you." The boy swallowed before entering the dim room.  
  
"Mr. Mutou?" a man in a long white doctor's coat asked. He was holding a clipboard and apparently shaking his head sadly. "I have some bad news. We couldn't find anything wrong with your friend. He's not injured anywhere internally or externally. We believe...he might have suffered mental injuries or of the like." From there, he didn't go on.  
  
"And?" Yugi asked impatiently, only caring about one thing. "What about...his condition?"  
  
Dr. Remon looked at the young boy grimly. "There was no heartbeat detected."  
  
All sights, sounds, and sensations seemed to vanish within Yugi's mind. The view in front of his eyes started to spin...so fast that his head hurt. No...his worst fear... It couldn't be true, though! Whoever it was had said Yami would survive if he wanted to... That couldn't be right, though! Yami wouldn't have wanted to...die...  
  
The doctor and nurse watched Yugi's trembling body with sad eyes. 'He's so young...' they both thought in unison. "Are they brothers?" Dr. Remon whispered.  
  
The nurse only shook her head. "I'm not sure, but I think it's best we leave the poor boy alone." Without a word, both medical workers left the room.  
  
Yugi finally lifted his head slightly, his bright amethyst eyes glazed over with the color of dusk and brimming with unshed tears. Shakily he approached Yami's bedside and fumbled in what seemed like complete darkness now for the other's hand. He clutched it tightly with both hands, not at all bothered by the deathlike coldness of the tanned skin, and slowly brought it up to his face, resting his cheek against Yami's palm. "Yami..." his voice was no more than a whisper.  
  
Then, one by one, the hot tears that had gathered in his eyes spilled into Yami's hand. 'Please don't leave me...' He sobbed softly, feeling his heart surge with pain and guilt. He couldn't remember ever feeling this alone and miserable before. Even when his grandmother died, he and his grandpa had solemnly prayed for her, knowing that it was her time. But...how could Yami's time be so soon? If he had only known... "I didn't...even...get...to say...good-bye..."  
  
Yugi didn't realize it, but his pleas had caused something to stir within Yami. 'Yu...Yugi...' The heart monitor started to flicker weakly as Yami struggled to regain consciousness, but everything seemed so faint... He knew he didn't have much time, that his spirit was slowly deteriorating, just like Bakura had planned it to. He realized he couldn't let himself die...not without seeing Yugi one last time...  
  
"Yu...gi..." he breathed weakly, his hand moving slightly to caress the other's damp cheek. Yugi froze, his eyes springing open to meet a sight he almost didn't believe. The flash of crimson underneath two nearly-closed eyelids confirmed his hopes.  
  
"Y-Yami?" he found it hard to speak himself. "You...I...thought you were..."  
  
"Yes...I am...or will be...soon..." Yami felt his head throb painfully and wondered how long he had left. "My mind was..."  
  
"I know, your mind was injured," Yugi interrupted quickly, almost frantically. "But...but...someone said you'll be able to survive...if you believe you can...if you want to survive..."  
  
This news surprised Yami. Was the choice really completely up to him? Seeing Yugi's tear-stained face, he felt guilty for ever worrying the angelic boy. But why was he crying so much because of him? Didn't Yugi hate him now because of what he did? The past Pharaoh felt a smile tug at his lips and a warmth spread through his abnormally cold body just from knowing Yugi still cared. Still, he was sure that was all he would ever have-Yugi's concern and friendship. The feeling of unrequited love still gnawed at his heart, and he knew he would be stuck with it forever if he lived. It was almost too painful to bear...But if he died...he would never forgive himself for causing Yugi so much suffering. "I...I...can't..."  
  
Yugi felt his insides shatter at the words and the bittersweet smile on Yami's face. He was at a loss for words.  
  
"I'm sorry...Yugi..." Yami struggled to open his eyes a little wider, his dull red orbs shining, as if glossed over. "Please...tell Jounouchi...and your grandpa...that too... Please...take good care...of yourself." He looked straight into Yugi's eyes. "I...I....I'll always..." A tear slowly slipped down his cheek at the realization he would never be able to express how much he cared. No, he wasn't even able to say it... "...thank you..." he said with his last ounce of energy. '...ore no koi...'* And then the darkness overtook him.  
  
At first Yugi didn't register what had happened. He couldn't make a move...even as he watched Yami's eyes close and the hand on his cheek fall limp. He was entirely focused on the wet streak on Yami's face. A tear. Yami NEVER cried. He had been mortally wounded until the point of death...he had been yelled at and reprimanded...he had been in tight situations...but he had managed to keep a cool head through it all...and overcome them. But now...he was fighting what was a hopeless battle. And Yugi had a feeling he knew exactly why.  
  
"Yami..." he choked only to receive no answer. At that moment, the boy felt his very heart stop beating as well. "YAAMMIIII!!!!!!" It was a miracle that his cries weren't heard by everyone in the entire hospital. "No...." Yugi slumped to the floor, allowing his tears to pool onto his already soaked clothing. 'Don't go...please...It's all my fault...' Numbly, he partially crawled back onto the bed so he could see Yami's expressionless face clearly although his vision was blurred with tears. "Don't leave me..." he pleaded softly. "I...I..." It was suddenly clear to him now. That foreign feeling he couldn't quite identify before was strong, almost overpowering. "I need you...here..."  
  
On impulse he leaned forward, capturing Yami's lips, which were cold and icy compared to before. More tears trailed down the small boy's cheeks as he was reminded of that first warm and gentle kiss...so unlike now. He wanted so much to experience that again...to feel Yami's arms hold him close...and to lose himself in that strong embrace. The love that had poured openly from Yami had somewhat frightened him before, but now he wished for that more than anything. Only now did he realize he had taken that feeling for granted. If he hadn't been so confused and afraid to figure out these feelings earlier, Yami would still be living right now...  
  
'Yami, how can I show you how much you mean to me?' he thought sadly. He climbed onto the bed completely, burying his head in the crook of Yami's neck while draping Yami's arm around him. 'At least I can pretend...'  
  
Unknown to Yugi, his kiss had really had an effect. Warmth surged through Yami's body, starting at his lips and spreading rapidly. The darkness that his soul had almost been completely consumed by was pierced by a ray of light. Within it, he could sense Yugi's despair...and the tingling sensation that lingered on his lips along with the warmth...such welcoming warmth. Could this mean...? He groped for the light, trying to get closer, and as he did, the brightness grew, pushing away the cold darkness.  
  
Bleep. Bleep Yugi's eyes perked up at the sound and he sat up quickly, glancing over at the monitor. That noise was only made to indicate that the heartbeat had returned to normal, and indeed, there were many large jagged lines moving across the screen. Yugi stared with wide eyes, then turned to Yami, holding his breath. Not long after, Yami's eyelids fluttered before opening completely this time, fixing Yugi with a tender gaze. Neither one said anything for a few minutes, but it was a comforting silence. Yugi hoped beyond hope that this wasn't just a dream. "...Yami? Are you...really here...to stay?"  
  
Once again, Yami found himself melting at the adorable look on Yugi's face, especially when his eyes glowed with delight and his skin shone with tears. And just from knowing that look was solely for him and the possible hidden meaning behind it made it all the more sweet. He nodded, allowing a genuine warm and friendly smile to grace his lips and propped himself up a bit so he could see the other better.  
  
"Yami!" Yugi half-cheered half-sobbed as he threw himself at Yami, arms wrapping around the taller boy's neck as tears of pure joy rolled down his cheeks. The force knocked Yami back down onto the bed, but he didn't mind. His heart swelled with happiness as he hugged Yugi back. He had never felt so...complete in his life. How could he have ever even thought of leaving this angel? With renewed determination, he swore he would never allow Yugi to suffer because of him again and pulled the other closer. They stayed like that for a while before Yami could find his voice again.  
  
"Yugi?" he asked softly, turning sideways to look at the other's face. No reply. Yami was somewhat surprised when he discovered the boy was peacefully asleep, the exhaustion of the day having gotten to him. Yami smiled again before turning them both sideways and pulling the blanket over both of them. He held Yugi closer and gently kissed him on the cheek. "Sweet dreams."  
  
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ore no koi = my love (yes, I know it's corny, but blame my poor Japanese vocabulary)  
  
;___; I almost let Yami die!! *slaps herself again and again for picking on her favorite character*  
  
Yugi: And you had me so scared...but everything turned out okay in the end! ^^  
  
That's true! ^ . ^ Well, I hope I made up for the angst and sadness in the last chapter... I'm really sorry about that once again! But I guess if you must flame, then you can. I'll clear up the telepathic voice thing in the next chapter.  
  
Please r/r? 


	18. Chapter 18: Half Confessions

@____@ Ahhhhh!!! GOMEN NASAI!!! I haven't updated since...since...  
  
SC: . Since last month, baka.  
  
;____; It's really been that long??!? (rhetorical question) AHHHHH!!! Thank you those of you who are still here!! I am SO sorry for all these long waits between updates! And if it wasn't for Difinity and some certain other people, this one would have been even longer!! ARIGATOU, Difinity-san!!  
  
Difinity: ^__^ Dou itashi mashite! At least you finally updated, ne?  
  
Hai! ^_^ And DOMO ARIGATOU MINNA!!! *tackle glomps every single reader* ^____^ Your reviews all mean so much to me!!! I didn't think 682 would be even POSSIBLE!! O__o I'll try to make it up to you somehow!!  
  
Starkiss (previously Sidekick Bob): As in...a quicker update next time?  
  
^_^;; I'll try. Promise. After all, I must thank you and Difinity for the incredibly KAWAII picture!! ^___^  
  
Difinity and Starkiss: ^____^  
  
The link's in my profile is anyone wants to see! (Since ff.net refuses to upload the link... -.-) It's YxY, of course. ^.^ Enjoy!  
  
I also can't wait for episode 101!! It's Yugi vs. this sea warrior guy! During battle Yugi somehow got drained of his energy while talking to Yami in his spirit form (since Yami is the one who usually duels) and he fell...and Yami CAUGHT him!!! ^____^ *squeals* Only with one arm, though. . The other hand was holding cards. *mumbles about duels taking up way too much of Yugi and Yami's time*  
  
SC: Ahem.  
  
Oh, and introducing my new muse!! (Hee, I finally got one of my own! ^^) Her name is Sugar Child!!  
  
SC: Konnichiwa! *waves*  
  
She's high off sugar most of the time, but today's she's acting normal. ^_^  
  
SC: . I heard that.  
  
^^;; Eheh...Anyway, we must move on to the disclaimer...*claps hands*  
  
Yamis: *appear in a puff of smoke wrapped in towels with hair still wet* O__O  
  
Everyone: O___O  
  
*after drooling at wet hair* Ah...oops. I didn't know you guys were taking a shower right now...^^; But that just saves some trouble, ne?  
  
Yamis: O_O What? You mean that was a permanent rule?! *look as if they want to strangle YXW*  
  
^.^;; Onegai with cherries and lemons on top? Please? Qiu Qiu Ni? S'il vous plait? Por favor?  
  
Yugis: *appear also in a poof of smoke* Pwetty pwweeease?? *ultimate puppy dog eyes*  
  
Yamis: -__-;; ...Just this once...for the sake of our aibous... *remove towels*  
  
Everyone: *drooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool*  
  
O.O *gets a bloody nose*  
  
Yamis: #~_~# *in hyper speed voices* Yo-Xi-Wang-does-not-own-Yu-Gi-Oh! If- you-didn't-know-already-this-fanfic-is-yaoi-and-shounen-ai-Yugi/Yami-and- Ryou/Bakura-along-with-a-dislike-for-Anzu! Okay-okay, we're-done!! *dash away as fast as they can with towels around waists*  
  
SC: ...Well that was...entertaining.  
  
Everyone else besides Yugi: ^_____^  
  
Yugis: O____o *still traumatized*  
  
^.^;; Hope you enjoyed, especially you, Authoress Skie! Happy Easter, minna!! *hands out Easter candy*  
  
Note: *sigh* For some reason, I can't get bolds and italics uploaded without huge amount of spacing in between paragraphs. Anyone know how? For now, anything in _..._ will count as italicized.  
  
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Chapter 18  
  
Ryou sighed as he let the Millennium Ring drop from his hands and leaned back in his chair. He wasn't sure if his message actually reached Yugi or if the worried teen had paid any attention to him, but just the effort of sending mental words drained a lot of his energy. After Bakura had finally allowed him to take over and rushed off triumphantly back to his soul room, things had been kind of quiet around the house.  
  
Ryou, being the concerned person that he was, tried to reason with his dark half in hopes of lessening the spell. /Don't you feel at least a little bit guilty?/  
  
//Tch. Hell, no. That pharaoh brought it onto himself. I was just carrying out the philosophy of life: Revenge is sweet.// And that was the end of that. Anyone could tell that Bakura was obviously annoyed for having been disturbed, a mistake Ryou would remember never to make again. After all, if Bakura hadn't been in such a good mood, it probably would have cost him an arm or leg, literally. With a sigh, he decided to go check the library. The white-haired teen looked up mental powers, surprised to see that there was actually information on that subject. He skimmed through the thick book eagerly, not caring that many people were smirking at him and giving him strange looks.  
  
"Above anything else, these attacks aim for the victim's mind. If successful, they result in a silent death in which no explanation can be found by doctors. However, it is possible to survive _if the victim has a strong will..._" Ryou immediately closed the book and raced back home. It was hard to imagine that he would be doing all this for someone he didn't even know, but someone's life was in the balance. He would _never_ forgive Bakura if that person died... He fumed with anger all the way home, or at least as angry as he could possibly get. What sounded like pounding on Bakura's soul room door to him was merely regular knocks.  
  
From within the room, Bakura groaned. "Now what?" he yelled at the door, grumpy that he was already interrupted once already in the midst of his victory celebration.  
  
"Bakura, get out here right now!"  
  
The spirit blinked at the harsh tone in Ryou's normally sweet and subtle voice. Quickly replacing his surprise with a ferocious look of his own, he stomped over and flung open the door. "Are you looking for another beating, baka?"*  
  
Strangely the shorter boy didn't falter. "No. I just wanted to know if the Millennium Ring is capable of sending mental messages." When Bakura didn't answer, he demanded, "Well?"  
  
Bakura's eyebrow twitched. "Why should I tell you?" he growled, as stubborn as ever. He got into another one of his defiant poses, masking his slight shock with a cool façade. There was silence for a few minutes. "Now if you have anything else to say to me, do so right now and stop wasting my time."  
  
"Fine," Ryou took a deep breath then let it all out in a dangerous, slow manner. "I. Will. Not. Help. You. Anymore. Go. Find. Yourself. Another. Dunce. To. Use. And. Torture." With that he turned and walked calmly down the hallway back to reality.  
  
Ryou reappeared in his room in a flash of light. 'Well, that was completely pointless.' He was still quite mad at Bakura for not even answering such a simple question and for numerous other things he did, but he was still rather afraid of the consequences. 'I hope I didn't get him too mad...'  
  
Bakura could neither move or speak as he watched Ryou walk away. Of all the things the boy could have said, Bakura hadn't expected something like that. He could still feel the angry, determined chocolate brown eyes that bore into him a moment ago. Suddenly his victory seemed hollow, and put it simply, rather pointless. Though Bakura would never admit this. He was still struck on the transformation in his light, but managed to push it down a bit. Smiling slightly and not at all in an evil way, he couldn't help the strange thought that came next. 'He's gotten stronger...'  
  
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Sunlight shone into the dark hospital room. Yami stirred and groggily opened his eyes. At first he was rather confused by the mass of black and magenta red that met his sight, but the warmth and soft shallow breathing of the figure curled up in his arms caused yesterday's happenings to flow back into his mind, piece by piece. Absentmindedly he brought a hand up to smooth Yugi's soft hair, messy from crying. The strands were as silky as ever, though, and still held a hint of minty shampoo.  
  
Yami smiled tenderly as the boy slept on, still not fully believing what had happened the night before. Had Yugi really meant what he had said in that way? He still wasn't exactly sure if it meant he returned his feelings...or just forgave him. The crimson-eyed teen tightened his grip on the bedsheet, hoping beyond all hope it wasn't the latter. It was frightening how close he had been to death yet when he felt Yugi's love and sorrow, he was able to recover. He didn't think he could stand it if his hopes were broken a second time.  
  
Still, as he looked upon the sleeping boy, he wondered how he could even think of leaving him. His angel. As pure as heaven itself, and one whom he felt the urge to protect from the moment they met. They had had such wonderful times together. It was a crime that Yugi didn't have any friends. Because of his shyness, they didn't realize just how sweet he really was. And how adorable, and playful, and a number of other adjectives Yami could think of. (A/N: Not in the gutter whatsoever, though. ^^;)  
  
The taller sighed and gently tilted Yugi's face up to meet his. He hadn't had a chance to just look at him in a long time. His large round eyes were still as delicate as ever although stained with tears, and his skin still creamy white. Yami blushed a little when his eyes came upon the velvety soft lips, but didn't look away. Had he imagined it all or did Yugi _really_ kiss him? Unconsciously he brought a hand up to Yugi's cheek, reveling in the almost unreal softness of it. His own skin was weathered and hardened by all the things he had to go through in his life, all the chores he had to do for his "parents" and all the fights he had gotten into. It was unbelievable that someone his age, who had been bullied countless times throughout his life, was still able to harbor such tender, childlike skin. Yami truly wanted to thank the heavens for allowing him to meet such a treasure.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt Yugi stir. Hastily he withdrew his hand and tried not to seem too nervous about what was to come. Slowly those adorable lush violet eyes opened, blinking a few times before Yami's face came into focus. "Yami..." It was barely above a whisper. For some reason, Yugi felt more tired than usual.  
  
Yami's mouth went dry just from the sight and sensation of the boy, a feeling he had missed for quite a while. (A/N: ^^ Or so it seems to Yami.) He could feel his insides melt, like they always did when he was around Yugi, and already his hopes had changed. He would consider himself blessed if he could have the other's friendship, even if that was the only thing. Somehow he would live it down...  
  
"Oh, Yami," Yugi exclaimed happily. His smile brightened even more when Yami's lips twitched upward slightly in reciprocation, and the warmth returned to flood his body. "You're really okay..." Tears of joy began to form in his eyes as he hugged the other tightly. After the initial moment of relief, an uncomfortable silence settled in. Yami knew the tension had to broken sooner or later, and with new determination finally found his voice.  
  
"Yugi...Last night...did you..." He did not even need to finish. Yugi blushed shyly, somewhat averting his gaze to look at Yami's shoulder.  
  
"Ah...yesterday..." he began. "I...I found out something out. I couldn't...let you die. You mean so much to me. It's strange. I-I didn't even realize it until last night. When you were dying...I knew...it was because of me. I hurt you. And it wasn't right of me to push you away, especially when you've always been there for me, offered me friendship for the first time in my life...I ran away only because...because I was surprised and scared...not because I didn't...care about you."  
  
Yami's cheeks darkened. "Yugi..."  
  
"You're lonely, aren't you, Yami?" Yugi asked quietly. "You must have thought there was no one left in the world to live for..." His gaze turned sad. "I know what that feels like. I've always wondered what I would do if Grandpa died. But now I have Jounouchi, and more importantly, you. Just promise me that you'll never think that way again?"  
  
Yami's features softened at the slightly bewildered look that crossed Yugi's face. He let a gentle smile grace his lips. "I promise."  
  
Yugi's heartbeat sped up again at that gesture. It was so rare to see such a full-lipped and truly content smile on Yami's face. It made him feel so utterly special knowing the crimson-eyed boy was smiling just for him. That feeling returned, bubbling inside of him uncontrollably, but this time he could finally somewhat distinguish it. His feelings had only been partially sorted out, though, and a knot started to form in his stomach as he felt Yami's anxiety. He had been avoiding the most interesting subject: the kiss, and both of them knew it. Yugi could honestly say Yami had become the most important person to him, alongside or even surpassing his grandfather, and he was always happy whenever they were together. He knew his feelings for Yami went beyond friendship, bordering on the lines of love, but the question was: what kind of love was it? Was it love for a family member, almost as if Yami was his brother, or was it love as in... Yugi's face reddened until it was about as dark as Yami's crimson eyes. Those particular eyes at the moment were studying him patiently, not wanting to rush the boy's thoughts.  
  
"A-Ano..."** Yugi said quietly. "Yami...how do you feel about me?" The taller teen blinked. He hadn't been expecting that even though he would have no trouble answering.  
  
"I...was confused too, at first," he confessed. "For some reason I was drawn to you. I felt the need to protect you from the moment I first saw you there against the school wall, yet I didn't know why." A dazed look started to form on Yami's face as he remembered all the times he had with Yugi. "I thought it was just some strange phase, but I kept on wanting to see you again. I got to know just how sweet and caring you really are. Not many people these days are like that anymore. It was only a few days ago when I finally realized I..." His voice gave out again.  
  
Yugi watched him intently, feeling his heart pounding in his ears.  
  
"I...I..." He took a deep breath. "I...love you." By now, both boys' faces were tinted in a bright shade of red, but Yami somehow managed to continue in a hurried voice. "I vowed that I would never let anyone know, that I would keep my feelings to myself. But...that night when we dancing...There was just something about you that I found...irresistible...and..."  
  
"You kissed me," Yugi finished for him. "But that's not true. I...kissed you first..." He shifted his gaze downwards. "I can understand...why you did what you did...But it was my fault that I ran away..." His eyes started to water. "I was so confused...and you almost died because of it..."  
  
Yami immediately noticed this and pulled the small boy close, letting his shoulder act as a pillow of support. He smoothed Yugi's back, whispering words of comfort. "Shhh...It's not your fault. I shouldn't have given in so easily. I'm just glad you don't hate me."  
  
"Of course I don't!" Yugi exclaimed, his voice muffled by Yami's shirt. "It was just..."  
  
"I know. It was rather awkward. It's alright, though. You don't have to return my feelings. As long as you see me as a friend." And for the first time, Yami could say this with absolute sincerity. His eyes still held a bit of a sad look, though, as he played with Yugi's hair.  
  
"But...but...that's just it..." Yugi said. "I see you more...than just a friend..." And with that, all of Yugi's jumbled thoughts came tumbling out. He explained to Yami his desire and joy to be held in his arms yet at the same time his fear of his feelings being a strange misunderstanding. He explained how much he loved it when they were together, no matter what they did, and whenever Yami would hold him close, he would have this unexplainable light-headed sensation, but it was not at all unpleasant. He even confessed a bit about the kiss he gave to the nearly dead Yami, how it was out of desperation and strong longing for Yami to survive. He wasn't quite ready to explain how wonderful those kisses with Yami made him feel, no matter if Yami's lips were warm or icy. They all set off the same spark within the smaller teen that delighted yet frightened him.  
  
Yami remained silent during this whole confession, quietly taking in everything Yugi had to say. When it was finally over, Yugi broke off, nervously awaiting Yami's reply. "I understand, Yugi," he said gently, causing the shorter boy's eyes to widen. He slowly removed Yugi's head from his shoulder so he could see the other's face, and gently cupped his chin. "Whoever said you needed to answer me right now?" he asked, his voice dripping with tenderness and mild surprise. "Take as long as you need. But I'll let you know I will always be here for you."  
  
Yugi's eyes sparkled, marveling at Yami's patience and calm composure. No wonder every girl out there was after him. (Or was it just his looks?) He couldn't believe it, though, that he, the class oddball and lowest of the lows on the popularity chart, was the one who held this incredible person's affection. In fact, he held it from the very beginning. It truly felt like fate that someone this wonderful was sent to him, to _him_. "Yami?" he inquired in a small voice, trembling from happiness. "Hold me?"  
  
"Of course," the taller of the two replied, bringing his arms around to embrace Yugi and gently burying his face into the silky mass of tri-colored hair. "Daisuki."*** It was barely more than a whisper, but it caused a tingling warmth to spread through Yugi from head to toe. The boy's cheeks flushed pink again as Yami's masculine scent filled his nostrils again, strong and warm and inviting. He felt like he could stay like this forever. He could now lay in Yami's arms with a free conscience, knowing now how the other felt about him. And it made him feel so special...  
  
Unfortunately, that sweet moment couldn't last. It was already well into the morning, and no doubt someone would come sooner or later to check on the pair. As if on cue, the door slowly opened revealing the same nurse from before carrying a tray of food intended for the heartbroken Yugi to consume. The tray fell to the floor when she saw the very much alive Yami, and it took all the nurse had to keep from fainting. She stood there gaping in shock until finally Dr. Remon came to check on what was going on.  
  
"What's the matter? I heard a crash-" The doctor also stopped short and his eyes bulged at the sight of Yami fully recovered. It was such a shock that Yami was still alive that neither of them paid any attention to the close position the two teens were in. Had they noticed at all, they would have been pretty suspicious.  
  
"It...It's a miracle..." the nurse breathed in wonder. The doctor nodded, adjusting his thick glasses.  
  
"So...how are you two feeling?" The smiles on Yugi and Yami's faces said everything. Dr. Remon smiled. What a story this would make. "We just need to do a few more checkups, then you can leave," he announced before escorting the nurse and himself out of the room.  
  
The room grew quiet again, but this time it was a good silence. Yami and Yugi felt that they could stay like that for eternity, not really thinking or talking, just enjoying the other's presence. In that moment of bliss, even Bakura vanished from Yami's mind. For a minute, he forgot he was still in danger and therefore putting Yugi in danger as well, which he vowed against all odds to guard against. It made his heart overflow with happiness just to know Yugi cared about him so deeply...and maybe, if he was lucky, in the same way he cared about him.  
  
Finally, however, both knew they had to separate. There was a lot of explaining to do, especially to Jounouchi and Sugoroku when they got back to the Game Shop, and homework to catch up on. Thankfully the next day was a Saturday, so they would have time to sort out their problems. Yugi was the first one to speak. "Wonder how we'll explain this to Jounouchi and Ji- chan..." A small, worried frown formed on his face, but Yami only chuckled at the cuteness of it all.  
  
"Don't look so down, Yugi," he said, tapping the other lightly on the nose. "One minute you're smiling like you've found a way to bring Duel Monsters to life and the next you're all pouty and worried. Aren't you the busy one?" Yugi puffed up his face in mock indignation. He was just about to respond when Yami interrupted him. "Besides, it's not that far fetched of a story. That is, unless the doctor decides to stretch it out a bit. Did you see the look on his face?" he added with a smile.  
  
"I know," Yugi agreed, giggling a little. "But hey, it's not everyday you see someone come back from the dead. Give the guy a break."  
  
"Yeah? I'd like to see you try and make me," Yami teased, moving so close to Yugi's face that their noses were touching. Of course, it was only a joke, so he was completely taken aback when the smaller boy began tickling him. The mood lightened considerably now that all the tension and anxiety between the two had vanished, and both couldn't help but be a little on the silly side after all they had been through. The tickling war raged on, soon turning in favor of Yami.  
  
"A-Alright already! I give!" Yugi gasped between fits of laughter, squirming to get free. Yami continued his merciless assault, not stopping until his target was breathless. He lay there with his head propped on his elbows and watched with amusement as the violet-eyed boy tried to catch his breath. Times like these were what he cherished most and what he loved most about being with Yugi. For a brief moment, he thought back on all the other fun games and activities they played together. Twister, Monopoly, and, of course, Duel Monsters, were only a few he could think of. He was so deep in thought that he almost didn't notice the evil smirk that formed on Yugi's face. (A/N: Or as evil as kawaii little Yugi can get. ^^)  
  
"What the-" Yami barely had time to react before he was pounced upon by the smaller teen. He didn't struggle too much, though, and allowed Yugi to pin him down to the bed, earning him a small victory. He laughed nonetheless, but it was more from the satisfied look on Yugi's face than his attempts at getting back at Yami. He easily flipped them over again, but the force was too great and sent them both tumbling over the edge of the bed, bedsheets and all. At the sign of possible danger, Yami involuntarily pulled Yugi close to him, holding the other securely as they landed with a thud on the hospital floor.  
  
"Yami? Are you okay?!" Yugi asked when the initial impact subsided. He looked down worriedly at his savior, who had taken the fall for him.  
  
"Ow, my head..." Yami grumbled, slowly opening his eyes. Once again he felt warmth bubble inside at the concerned look on the other's face. "I'm okay, though," he reassured Yugi with a smile.  
  
"That's good," the smaller boy grinned back with relief. "I wouldn't want you falling into another coma or anything."  
  
"Hmm," Yami chuckled, arms tightening around the other's waist. A smile played on his lips as he pulled the little one against him fully. Yugi's cheeks flamed at the contact, but he didn't pull away. Something about this just felt...so right. He let out a small sigh of contentment and rested his head on Yami's chest, loving the way how he was at the perfect height to listen to the taller boy's heartbeat, which at the moment was beating in synch with his. The gentle rise and fall only added to the blissful atmosphere. Yugi shivered slightly as Yami's hand trailed up his back to gently comb through the colorful strands of his hair, and nearly gasped at how good it felt. He could practically feel the other's love for him radiating openly off Yami's body. He honestly had never felt his way before. No one had ever caused his heart to race with such intensity with a simple smile. No one had ever looked upon him so patiently and tenderly. No one had ever caused him so much pain when they were so near death.  
  
Yami didn't realize it, but he was causing such reactions within Yugi at that very moment as well. Slowly, but surely, he was helping Yugi distinguish his true feelings.  
  
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Things had worked out smoother than Yugi or Yami would have thought. Unlike what they had expected, Jounouchi and Yugi's grandfather easily and readily accepted their miraculous tale. Both were rather surprised, but didn't make a big deal out of it. Jounouchi returned back home after giving the two boys the latest homework assignments, and bid them farewell until Monday. As for Bakura, he now had other things on his mind to occupy him... (A/N: *cough* Ryou. *cough*) With no school for two days, Yugi and Yami were safe from the spirit of the Millennium Ring...temporarily. It wouldn't be long before Bakura would realize his mistake and return with a vengeance to finish the job. Yugi still shuddered when he thought of the powerful yet silent killer the white-haired teen had under his control.  
  
Sundays were always fun for Yugi. Because it had always been the day the Game Shop closed early, he could spend the entire afternoon doing as he wanted. However, this Sunday wasn't fun like the others. Yami had some kind of mandatory meeting for all recent transfer students to Domino High, and he still hadn't returned. Yugi would have gone along too, but it was his turn to look after the shop in the morning. Currently he was just sitting around the house, watching his grandpa sort out new shipments of toys.  
  
"Say, Yugi," Sugoroku spoke up after a long silence. "If you have so much time to kill, why don't you help me out here?" The tri-color-haired boy blinked, eyes scanning quickly over the piles and piles of boxes.  
  
"Er...sorry, Grandpa," he said, thinking quickly. "I...uh...just remembered. I have to pick up my photos today." He began to put on his jacket. Counting and categorizing toys was NOT something he wanted to do on his day off.  
  
"Well, okay," Sugoroku said, puzzled and completely oblivious to the obvious lie. "If you have some extra time, I'll be here."  
  
"Okay. See ya later!" Yugi said before racing out the door.  
  
Later, he almost wished he had stayed. There was literally nothing to do out on the streets. Even the store he and Yami went to before didn't have any new Duel Monsters cards to look at anymore. Yugi finally settled at an outside restaurant table, quietly sipping his shake. He sighed, thoroughly bored, and stared into space for a few minutes. His thoughts almost immediately shifted to Yami. A streak of warmth spread across his cheeks as he caught himself. Lately, his ruby-eyed look-alike was all he could think of in his spare time. He usually brought along something to entertain himself, such as a puzzle or some other toy, to keep him occupied, but this time he was in such a hurry that he forgot.  
  
The confession kept on replaying over and over in his head. He could practically hear the sincerity that hung on every word Yami had said that day, and the tender way he had said "daisuki" sent shivers down Yugi's spine every time he recalled it. He had tried to reason that it was only logical of him to think of Yami frequently, and he could bet that Yami was constantly thinking of him too. But every time he didn't have a particular thought in mind, Yami would appear. This new habit itself didn't bother him in the least, but the fact that his previous thoughts of Duel Monsters and gaming strategies were all replaced by a single person surprised him. As he sat there staring up at the sky, you could bet on what he was thinking about. A slight smile formed on his lips when he saw a very interestingly shaped cloud passing by...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Anzu was furious. After she had spent all Friday stalking Yami and finding out about Yami being in the hospital, she had rushed to several stores in search of a suitable present, hoping to win his heart in that way. She finally found something nice and expensive which she was _sure_ Yami would like only to find that he had already left the hospital, seeming to have completely recovered. Today wasn't going well either. She hadn't seen a trace of her target all weekend.  
  
"WHY?!" she yelled in frustration at the sky. She still carried her "present" in her pocket, but it seemed as if Yami had simply vanished. People nearby were giving her odd looks and whispering behind their backs, which only served to make the brunette even madder. She was just passing by a restaurant when she saw a crown of black and red and her hopes immediately shot up. And what was more, he seemed to be alone! 'Perfect,' she thought. Taking a minute to fix herself up, she calmly walked over to the table Yugi was currently sitting at, swaying her hips in what she believed to be a seductive manner. (A/N: . Yeah, right.)  
  
"Oh, hell-o Yami," she said in a sugar-coated voice. Yugi nearly jumped out of his thoughts and turned his head around, blinking. He was quite startled to say the least when he saw it was Anzu Masaki.  
  
"Um...hi," he replied, rather confused. He knew he and Yami were confused with the other all the time, especially with fangirls, but he thought they would have been able to recognize their differences by now.  
  
The smile fell from Anzu's lips. "Oh! You're not Yami..." she mumbled, taking immediate notice of the boy's large innocent eyes. "My mistake." Suddenly she got an idea and pulled a chair over. "Mind if I sit with you?"  
  
"No..." Yugi drew back slightly, wary of what Anzu was plotting. He knew about her reputation all too well, but, being the kind and forgiving guy he was, he at least attempted to be polite.  
  
"So..." Anzu started off in faked friendly voice. Internally she was smiling wickedly at Yugi's easy acceptance. He was together with Yami almost every time she saw him, and because of that, she never got a chance to be alone with her new boy toy. With some of the right persuasion, she was sure she could get Yugi to leave Yami some space and allow her to take the opening. "I heard that you and Yami are really close."  
  
At this, Yugi's cheeks warmed. "Y-Yea..." Closer than anyone would have thought, actually.  
  
Anzu nodded her head, continuing. "But recently at school, I've seen that you haven't been talking to each other that much. Did something happen?"  
  
"Well..." Yugi was still hesitant to let this male deceiver know anything about his personal affairs, but she seemed so concerned. "Kind of. We had a sort of...fight." He couldn't really find the best word to describe it.  
  
"I see," Anzu shook her head in false sympathy. Inside, though, she grew kind of suspicious. This was starting to sound like Yugi and Yami were... 'No way,' she reassured herself. Friends got into fights like this all the time. She shouldn't be jumping to conclusions so quickly. After all, Yami was _hers_. She practically had her name stamped on his forehead in big, bold letters. "It must have been terrible."  
  
"It was," the tri-color haired teen suddenly shifted gears, now with a bright smile on his face. "But everything's okay now."  
  
Anzu cursed. Well, that just foiled her plan of splitting the two apart. She couldn't believe how quickly they had made up, though. It only led her mind once again to believe that there was something going on between Yami and Yugi, especially when she noted Yugi's slightly flushed face. Once again she slapped herself mentally for even thinking at way. She decided to try a different approach. "Well, that's good." 'No it's not!' her mind's voice was shouting. "But still, it must have been a big disagreement to have caused you two to totally ignore each other all day. I know whenever I have fights with my friends, it takes us a while to make up." She didn't know it, but most of her friends were just there in hopes of getting any guy she dumped along the way. "Are you absolutely _sure_ he has completely forgiven you?"  
  
"Well, yes-" Yugi stopped, suddenly seeing Anzu's point of view. Come to think of it, he hadn't spoken to Yami all day, only in the morning. But that was because he was called away for important educational matters...Still, it should have been over by now, at least... Inwardly, he gasped, letting the brown-haired girl's words mess with his mind. Maybe Yami was still angry at him and that was why he was avoiding him all day?! 'But that can't be true. He said...he said he would always be there for me!' Yugi bit his lip, eyes lowering in deep, sorrowful thought. Still, he managed to convince himself that Yami had meant what he said. He wouldn't let such a simple question faze him.  
  
Seeing the falter in Yugi's expression, the brunette milked it for all it was worth. "Well, maybe he's not with you today because he just needed some fresh air and time alone, away from you? I don't blame him. What did he use as an excuse? Some school or doctor's appointment or whatnot?" Her words were harsh to anyone's ears, but particularly to the poor boy's. As Anzu rambled on, he could hardly hear what she was saying anymore. His mind was spinning with uncertainty and worry. Although he didn't quite believe the sly girl, he also couldn't quite shake off her words that easily either.  
  
"No, I'm sure he has a good reason," Yugi surprised even himself with his fairly steady voice although his hands were trembling. "Excuse me, please," he whispered, getting up from the table. Being as sensitive as he was, his mind was so easily manipulated by the queen of manipulation. He tried not to let it show, however, as he hurried off to find Yami. He didn't find it in his voice to say goodbye.  
  
When the small boy was out of sight, Anzu smiled to herself. She had successfully driven something in between the two teens. Yugi's face confirmed that. "Now all that's left is go after Yami himself..."  
  
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SC: That's it! Anzu is officially the queen of jerks!! .  
  
Difinity: . I know! Trying to break up the kawaii pair like that!! Down with Anzu!! *holds up riot sign*  
  
Everyone else except for Yugis: *join in too*  
  
Thank you so much Artemis Sakura, Starkiss, Yami, MidnightSky, darkangel2586, aznstarangel, Sage of Darkness, randomasdf, WhiteLightening, Diamondelle, maru-chan, Chibi Dragoon Chaos, Black-Rose-Spirit-Mage, Baku, Dude the Guy, and Devil Malik for adding me to your favorites author's list!!!! @__@ And I'm sorry that Yugi and Yami aren't "officially" together yet. ^^;; Blame all the sad stories I've been reading recently. -_- They will, though, so don't worry! ^__~ And so will Ryou and Bakura!  
  
Translations:  
  
*Baka = Idiot **Ano = Umm... ***Daisuki = I like/love you. (I noticed that Japanese anime people tend to say "daisuki" over "aishiteru" for some reason.)  
  
Yugis: *still not moving*  
  
SC: *just consumed 60 pounds of Easter chocolate and in a LOUD voice* DIE, ANZU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! _____ BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!  
  
^.^;; Now, now, SC...calm down...  
  
Starkiss: Please r/r! 


	19. Chapter 19: Frustration

O____O Well, it's been a long time...but I finally updated...

*no one pays attention because riot is STILL going on*

YXW: ___;;;;; Yes, I realize you all want Anzu to die. You've made your point. NOW LET'S MOVE ON!!!

Anzu: *pops in* What's with all this shouting?! You wanna piece of me? *glares*

Difinity: THERE SHE IS!!!! __ CHARGEEEE!!!!!

*everyone in the riot attacks Anzu to the ground*

Anzu: OW!! HEY!! WATCH THE HAIR!!!

SC: *shoves an apple into Anzu's mouth* SILENCE, DEMONESS!!!

YXW and Starkiss: 0___o;;;;;;; Are we the only sensible people around here??

Anzu: Mmmph!! Mmmph mmmmmmmph!!! @

YXW: What about...the disclaimer? MINNA, STOP THIS CRAZINESS!! WE STILL NEED HER FOR THE FANFIC!!!!!!!

*nobody listens*

YXW: ;___; *goes into a slump*

Starkiss: *mumbles to herself* She's depressed...and the rest are all insane... O__O What is this world coming to?! *runs off in despair*

*TV appears and video starts playing automatically*

Yamis on video with censors: *in hyper speed voices* Yo-Xi-Wang-does-not-own-Yu-Gi-Oh! If-you-didn't-know-already-this-fanfic-is-yaoi-and-shounen-ai-Yugi/Yami-and-Ryou/Bakura-along-with-a-dislike-for-Anzu! Okay-okay, we're-done!! *dash away as fast as they can with towels around waists*

----Note: I just found out when pairings are listed, they should be seme/uke!! (dominant/submissive) @__@ I didn't know order mattered!! GOMEN MINNA-SAN!! Really it's supposed to be Yami/Yugi and Bakura/Ryou then. ^^;;; Sorry if anyone thought it was the other way around.

*list of punctuation appears on cheap white background*

"..." = speaking

'...' = thoughts

/.../ and //...// = Ryou and Bakura telepathic link

::...:: = spiritual talk

YXW: ~__~ *mumbles* What a lame excuse for a disclaimer... Hope it's legal...

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Chapter 19

Yami rested against a tree trunk by the city pond and absentmindedly picked up a stone. As he played with the rock back and forth between his hands, he thought over the unbearably long meeting he just had. It hadn't been pleasant, having to stay overtime when all the other students had left when he was anxious to get back to the Game Shop. He hadn't seen Yugi all day...It felt like something was missing inside him. He had only realized how pathetic he was; he couldn't even be apart from Yugi for more than 5 hours! Determined to allow some breathing space between himself and the boy he adored, he had decided to visit the pond.

His eyes strayed to the flock of ducks that had gathered at the side of the pond where some children were feeding them crackers. "Maybe Yugi would like to feed the ducks one day," he murmured thoughtfully, then caught himself, flushing slightly when he realized he couldn't even stop _thinking about the violet-eyed teen. He turned his gaze upwards to stare nonchalantly at the passing clouds and counting them to pass the time until he could return to find Yugi. Little did he know how much his actions were hurting the other at the moment._

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"What do you mean 'he's not there'?!" Yugi practically shouted into the public telephone. On the other side of the line, Sugoroku winced, noting the panic in his grandson's voice.

"I'm sorry, Yugi. He hasn't returned home yet is all I'm saying. He could be on his way."

"...Alright... Thanks, Ji-chan," the boy replied brokenly and hung up. He swallowed, the fear Anzu's words had caused growing bigger with each passing minute. He tried not to get too emotional, for all he knew, his grandpa could be right. Still, the thought of Yami ever leaving him... It hurt. A lot. Having already checked the school, there was nothing else he could really do. He felt so helpless and lost at the moment. Every second without Yami closeby seemed almost unbearable. He couldn't believe he still had the notion of living when he found out Yami had nearly... Well, that was a while ago now, and he didn't want to think about it anymore.

'I really need to calm down,' he mentally told himself. 'Perhaps the swings will help...' With that, he started to walk off in the direction of the city pond...

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Anzu wasn't having much luck either. Unlike Yugi who could simply call the Game Shop, she actually ran all the way, only to find no one except the wise-cracking Sugoroku, who had scared and disturbed her so much she was forced to run all the way back again. Now she was out of breath and very frustrated at not seeing even a glimpse of her target.

"Stupid city. Why's it have to be so big?" she mumbled, but continued limping along the streets anyway.

She wasn't aware of it, but she was being watched. From the corner of his eye, Jounouchi watched her as she dragged her feet along stubbornly when she obviously needed a rest. The blonde set down his cup of soda and narrowed his eyes at the determined yet slightly obsessed look on Anzu's face. He was around long enough to know that when she had that crazy expression on her face, another male was going to suffer, and soon. He really wanted to go over there and give her a good punch in the face. After all, his friend Honda had been one of the victims of Anzu's tricks when he first moved here. He never really did get her back for that.

'Wonder what unfortunate male(s) she has in mind this time.' Normally he couldn't have cared less, but when he thought about it, she had seemed crazy over Yami last... And Yami was very close to Yugi, both of them being his new companions... His eyes widened. 'Yugi! Oh, god, that b*tch is gonna do something to Yugi!' He didn't let it show, but he could see something between the two near look-alikes, something that he was sure was more than simply friendship... (A/N: Yes, contrary to popular belief, I think Jounouchi's very perceptive even if he is silly. ^^;;) He swore if Anzu was going to try another one of her break-up tactics on his pals...

"Thanks," he said quickly to the waiter behind the counter and dropped a large yen coin next to his finished lunch. "Keep the change." And with that, he slid off the chair and rushed out the door in hopes that it wasn't too late to catch up to the girl.

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Bakura growled as another dart pierced into the surreal wall of his soul room. Frustrated, he dismissed the dartboard and the piece of wall, which melded back into wisps and swirls of shadows. He couldn't understand it. This had always been his favorite game, and he had always been good at it. Especially when he was in a bad mood, he could always hit at least ¾ of the images of the various people he disliked (A/N: Which was everyone, with the exception of one ^^) he had taped onto a large dartboard. But today not one of his darts even hit the board, and he sure as heck was in a bad mood.

::Perhaps you're distracted:: his conscience offered, whatever little he had left of it anyway. The tiny voice, having been suppressed or ignored for so long, echoed off the dark spirit's soul room walls, only serving to increase Bakura's anger.

'I _never get distracted,' he retorted simply then pushed down the voice when he realized he had just talked to himself more or less even though his conscience was the complete opposite of his usual personality. Still, he couldn't really deny the fact that he _was_ kind of unable to think or focus as deeply as he usually did. But no, distractions definitely weren't the reason. It didn't matter that Ryou had practically yelled at him and had been giving him the cold shoulder ever since. Nor was it that he actually felt kind of...bad for causing his intended light so much grief and guilt. No, it wasn't any of that..._

A quick mental tug within the Sennen Ring signaled that Ryou was done with his daily chores. They had agreed a long time ago that Ryou was to inform him at times like this when it was safe to take over for whatever purposes or reasons. Bakura didn't think he could anymore of the new age human "technology." He still looked down on all the electronic appliances around the house, knowing his magic could do much better if not just as well.

Before he could always count on this time to speak a bit with his counterpart, or at least hear the other's voice. He had constantly called it annoying, yet was secretly pleased on the inside that Ryou would take the time to tell him in words. Now, though, with the smaller boy's sudden mysterious knowledge of magical objects, he was able to muster a quick tug with ease as a signal. Bakura hadn't heard the sweet honeyish voice for a long time now, and it was starting to bother him, almost as if he...actually...missed it. (A/N: Anyone hear Ryou's Japanese voice? _So_ adorable! ^_^ Course, so are Yami's and series one Yugi's) He had even considered going to the other's soul room and making him talk, but he always found himself not able to look the white-haired boy directly ever since..._that._

Oh, how he wished he had known beforehand that Ryou would react this strongly if he included him in his plan. But no, the great and mighty Bakura did not have regrets. He _never had regrets. He always did what he felt good about, and surely what he felt good about was right..._

Faintly, he heard the muffled snicker of his conscience.

 'Ah shaddup,' he scowled. With a sigh, he created another fresh unscarred imaginary wall, the prepared dartboard and darts materializing along with it again for yet another game.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It must have been fate's cruelty that Anzu happened to pass by the city pond in her silent rampage. A smirk made its way onto her face when she saw Yami there, alone. She slowly approached her prey, the triumphant smirk so big now that some people stopped to stare at the seemingly insane high school girl. She knew, of course, that Yami would be much more difficult to convince, but not with the things she had planned out in store for him...

Meanwhile Yugi wasn't far behind either. He had to admit, the walk did help to calm him down, especially with the sunny and serene weather Domino City was experiencing. One hand trailed along the wired fence of the sidewalk idly as he didn't really think of anything in particular, his thoughts and feelings in such a mess that it hurt to try. He almost didn't notice at first the conversation between his taller look-alike and an increasingly desperate brunette.

"You're serious?" Yami asked in his usual cool tone of voice, although it was tinged with coldness at the moment and obvious disbelief.

"I swear," Anzu repeated, exasperated, which didn't sound convincing at all to Yami's ears. "I talked to him. He...er...said he and his grandpa were becoming kind of fed up with having to provide for a third person while they still have a shop to run..."

"Oh? Did he?" Yami turned his sharp cerise eyes directly at Anzu, which visibly caused her to falter even more. There was just something about the tall, slender leader-clad teen that was just so intense... Her plan was already falling apart with all her random losses of words she had planned to say, and now with Yami gazing directly at her, it made it all the more difficult. And plus, he didn't look the least bit convinced with that all too calm expression on his face.

She gulped, a trickle of sweat forming underneath her overly made up bangs. "Yea..." Still no change in the other teen's expression, which threw her off balance even more.

"Ya...Yami!!" Both teens turned to find an out of breath Yugi, purple eyes wide and maybe even a little bit hurt when he saw who Yami was with.

"Yugi?!" the taller exclaimed, equally surprised. Immediately he saw that Yugi had been looking for him and felt a pang of guilt. The smaller boy remained frozen at the gate as a tentative silence settled in, the fear in his amethyst orbs growing. Anzu mentally cursed at the interruption. Now her plan would almost surely fail. Not like it had been working quite as well as she thought in the first place anyway. Yami motioned gently for the other to come closer, his eyes softening as he did so. "Yugi..." he said softly. "You...were looking for me?"

Yugi's breath caught in his throat. After not hearing that voice for what seemed like so long, it seemed to sound ten times more wonderful than before. He shuffled his feet hesitantly, aware that Anzu was still burning holes into him with her eyes. "Ano..."*

"Tell me." 

Anzu trembled at the warm, sweet gestures that were exchanged between the two, especially the tender tone of voice Yami used. He had never spoken in that way to _her_ before, or to anyone else for that matter. It only made her even more certain she couldn't and wouldn't ever be able to get along with Yugi. In fact, she had to hold herself back with everything she had to not seriously harm the one obstacle standing in her way of getting Yami's attention. She was as stubborn as a mule, though, and still wouldn't leave happiness alone. 

Yugi mentally flinched at her murderous glare, remembering all too well what she had said before about Yami. But at that moment, her words didn't seem to matter. He was starting to feel all light-headed and warm again just from looking into Yami's eyes and hearing his rich voice. Those loving pools of crimson seemed to say it all. "...Yami, where were you all this time? I thought the school meeting would be brief."

"Yes, I thought so too. But apparently the principal decided to keep me after to lecture me about the dangers of giving rides on motorcycles with only one helmet." He chuckled slightly at the cute blush that formed on Yugi's face at the memory of when Yami used to drive him via motorcycle to and from school. Had the principal noticed that he was secretly enjoying the feel of holding onto Yami's warm body? "But it _is_ my fault that I didn't come home right away. I thought it might be best if you had some time to do things you preferred to do without my presence. Sorry...for making you worry." All the while in the background, Anzu was desperately trying all she could to ruin the sincerity of Yami's words, but Yugi paid her no heed. First he felt immensely relieved that the manipulative girl's words hadn't been true, then warmth flooded his body when he realized how thoughtful Yami's intentions were.

"Oh, Yami... I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't have gotten so worked up because you were gone longer than I expected. It's just..." he lowered his head a bit and shuffled his feet shyly. "I...well...missed you." He could practically feel the soft smile that formed on Yami's lips and his cheeks grew hotter.

"Yugi..." the crimson-eyed boy murmured fondly, then held out his arms slightly. The other blushed deeply before taking the invitation and practically flinging himself into Yami's chest. Instinctively those strong arms wrapped around and held him there firmly and the taller teen still had that smile on his face even as his eyes closed. (A/N: Think Y/Y hug picture for those who've seen it. ^_^) Yugi's amethyst eyes closed also with unshed tears of happiness and it was hard to believe he could have ever doubted Yami's love for him. The intensity of all the feelings that were pouring into him at the moment was overwhelming but in a good way...

Anzu tried to find something to say, anything. She was shocked to say the least, but had enough sense to keep her jaw from falling completely to the ground. Instead, her mouth was opening and closing repeatedly like some diseased fish and her eyes were pretty much bulged like one too. She didn't know whether to believe what she was seeing or not. It wasn't the fact that she had never seen two boys hug so intimately before, but rather that it was the first time _she_ was ever turned down by any guy she was after. However, no one in the entire park seemed to notice her or the scene that would normally have people staring. Desperately she looked around to find someone...anyone...and spotted a familiar blonde in the distance.

"Hm?" Jounouchi blinked against the glare of the pond. "Hey, there she is!!" He exclaimed when he spotted Anzu and picked up his pace.

It took a while, but the brunette finally realized who it was, and her eyes widened. Jounouchi, the delinquent of Domino High! She knew he was probably still steamed at her for cheating on his best friend Honda, one of the rare past boyfriends she could actually remember. She had always been safe on school grounds, but here, there was no guarantee that the blonde would hold back. Tossing the two multicolor-haired boys a "I'll be back" look even though neither could see her, she hastily edged out through the side gates. Upon hearing Jounouchi's angry shouts, she broke into a run, or at least as fast as she could go in those high-heeled shoes of hers.

"Oi!** Trying to run now, eh?!" Jounouchi yelled after her. For a split second as he raced by the pond, he caught sight of the sweet moment his two friends were sharing. 'Isn't that Yugi and Yami?' he wondered briefly, but didn't have the time to stop. 'Oh well. Guess I'll ask them later.'

After a while, Yami opened his eyes slightly, looking down to be met with a large crown of red and black spikes. "Yugi, is this all that has been bothering you?" Although his voice was gentle, he was being serious.

The smaller boy tensed at those words, responding by pressing his cheek further into the satiny material of Yami's shirt. The other couldn't see it right now, but a few tears were making their way down his face slowly. He remained quiet and unsure of how to respond. But no matter what he wouldn't want to burden Yami any further.

"Look at me." Yugi stubbornly kept his head down until a warm hand gently cupped his chin and tilted his face up slowly. Surprise washed over Yami's features when he saw those crystalline tears. Immediately, though, it was replaced with concern. "Please...what happened?"

Yugi's resolve almost crumbled upon seeing the worry in those ruby red pools. But really, it wasn't a problem anymore. He already knew Anzu was wrong, without a doubt. There was no need for Yami to know about his temporary distress. Still the aftershock of that experience of panic and doubt was so unbearable that it was tempting to tell someone. Not Yami, though. Not Yami. Putting on what he hoped to be a convincing smile, he replied, "It's nothing. I'm just really glad to see you after so long!"

Yami couldn't be fooled so easily, though. He knew the amethyst-eyed boy almost inside out, but decided not to press the issue seeing as how Yugi was so uncomfortable telling him. Something in his mind told him it had to do with Anzu, but the reasonable part of him reprimanded himself for jumping to conclusions. That girl was creepy and so strangely obsessive. It was best not to think of her at all. "Heh. Can't last a day without seeing me?" he teased.

As expected, Yugi's mood immediately brightened and he smiled in response. "Hey, as if you can do any better..." he mumbled. He froze, though, when Yami's hand moved from his chin, tracing up one pale cheek and running lightly over a damp eyelash. Gentle lips slowly replaced the hand as Yami tenderly brushed away a stray tear with a feather-light kiss. Yugi's face immediately turned a bright red. "...Yami...?"

"Mmm...true," Yami whispered, still close enough so his lips tickled the flushed skin beneath them. He withdrew just enough so he could look the other in the eye. "I really don't think I could last a day either." His face also tinted a light pink though it was hardly noticeable against his tanned skin and his eyes shone with sincerity. 

Yugi's blush darkened and he suddenly found he couldn't make a sound. Heck, he couldn't even move, but it wasn't as if he wanted to anyway. They spent an indeterminable amount of time just contently staring into each other's eyes, feeling as if nothing else existed.

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Jounouchi tore at his hair on his way to school, repeating a mantra in his head over and over. 'Damnit damnit damnit damnit...' Someway or another Anzu managed to escape from him—yet again, which only made him even angrier. "One of these days, she'll get what's coming to her..." he mumbled to himself.

"Jounouchi! Ohayo!"***

"Hm?" The blonde was snapped out of his thoughts to see the smiling face of Yugi. Scratch that. Today the boy was _extra_ smiley, with wide purple eyes sparkling. "Oh, hey Yugi. What's with the super happy face?"

"What?" the smaller boy blinked, then a light blush rose to his cheeks as he had random flashbacks on all the things he and Yami did yesterday which Yami insisted was part of his 'apology'. "...Is it really that noticeable?"

Jounouchi merely chuckled. "Did something good happen yesterday?" he said with a wink.

At this Yugi's cheeks definitely colored and he tried his best to keep his voice convincing. "No, of course not! I'm just excited that we'll get to rehearse for the play for the whole day today. Mrs. Rico's coming to help us with costumes too. I think she made mine too frilly, though..."

Through his anger, Jounouchi had almost forgotten about the play. At the thought of his friend in a big pink frilly dress, he couldn't help but start cracking up. "Actually, I think that frilly dress suits you."

"Jounouchi!" Yugi sweatdropped, turning red from embarrassment that the blonde had shouted that out loud so practically the whole class could hear. Luckily, they were all too engrossed in their own preparations to pay attention.

"Eh...Sorry 'bout that, Yugi," Jounouchi said, finally regaining his composure. "By the way, where's Yami?"

"He was called to the office a few minutes before you came in. I think it's got something to do with the fact that he's a substitute in the play." As he said this, Yugi shifted his eyes to the door in case Yami came in, wondering if he would see him at the rehearsal.

"Heh. Ok, makes sense. All the costumes nowadays are adjustable anyway. Depends on the role he's replacing too. For example, if he was the prince..." he trailed off as if he was in deep thought. Out of the corner of his eye, he took note of Yugi, whose face was about as read as a ripe tomato at the moment. The other boy had no idea Jounouchi had said that intentionally nor knew anything about his friend passing by the pond and seeing him and Yami. The blonde smiled softly to himself, not fully sure if his suspicions were correct but amused at Yugi's reaction.

'If Yami was the prince...If somehow he...' Thoughts along similar lines kept on running through the amethyst-eyed boy's mind and refused to leave. The mental image of Yami...clad in handsome royal clothing with a touch of armor, with a sword in hand just for the sake of rescuing him...It made him feel warm all over. It reminded him a lot of the way Yami was now, always protecting him from dangers and having been declared the "hottest guy" of Domino High since who knew when. Yes, a prince seemed to be a perfect description...It was only until later that he caught himself. 'That could never happen...It'd be too weird for the class and besides...' Sighing, he glanced by the windows and spotted Mika studying him intensely.

She looked slightly less messy than she usually was, as if that made any improvement. From the way she was sitting, it was clear she had been watching Yugi ever since he had come in around half an hour ago. Seeing his eyes flicker to her for a minute, she winked and blew a pretend kiss from one muddy hand, showing her swollen, dirt-stained lips.

Yugi immediately turned back, ignoring the small wave of nausea that swept through him. 'Oh god...and she'll actually have to _kiss_ me?' He prayed to whatever god there was that he could convince Ms. Kimochi to take out the whole kissing part or to at least give him a different role. He _really_ didn't want to play the princess. 'Unless...' his blush returned. 'Grr, stop thinking about that! It's impossible...'

Mika squealed happily to herself when she saw Yugi's cheeks turn pink, thinking it was because of her. She finally took her attention off Yugi to pick up her copy of the script and continued studying her lines with new inspiration.

Jounouchi raised an eyebrow at the predicament Yugi was in, feeling sympathy for the young teen. After all, he would feel exactly the same way if he had to get in any contact with that girl. He just wished their drama teacher didn't have to be so precise and make all their activities so realistic. He'd have to have a talk with her one day.

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"Yugi! Yami! Glad I found you!" Jounouchi nearly yelled through the rushing crowd of students, teachers, and random props and costumes. He never knew that lunchtime on a full rehearsal day could be so hectic. "Let's go eat lunch outside, by the old oak tree!"

"Jou—" Yugi tried to answer back but was yet again muffled by a passerby.

"Don't think that'll work, Yugi," Yami said besides him. "Like this." With that, he grabbed ahold of the smaller boy's wrist and held Yugi's arm high in the air, making waving motions. Yugi was startled, but it quickly vanished when he felt the warmth of Yami's hand cover his own. His cheeks flushed even more after Yami brought his arm back down, but still held onto his hand.

"Yami...?"

"It's alright. No one can see," Yami responded, playing with Yugi's fingers a little. And it was true. Since the two boys were among the shorter students of their school, the only things visible were their colorful hairdos. The three of them finally managed to stumble outside and took in long gasps of air gratefully.

After they had settled down against the tree, Jounouchi decided to take his chances. "So...how was your weekend?"

Yugi and Yami paused simultaneously and blinked. "Good," they both answered, completely unsuspecting. The innocent and clueless looks on their faces almost made Jounouchi rethink what he was about to ask. He chuckled nervously.

"Uh...call me crazy if this sounds totally strange to you, but I think I saw the two of you when I passed by the pond yesterday. I was going so fast, though, since I was chasing someone, so I'm not really sure!" He squeezed his eyes shut in preparation of being laughed at for how silly he was sure he sounded.

None came, though, and he finally looked up. Both of his friends had paled and their eyes were wide with the kind of face a child would have when he or she was caught doing something bad. "Was...Anzu there too?" the taller of the two asked.

"Actually, she was the one I was chasing, you know, since I wanted to give her a piece of my mind after what she did to Honda..." At this Yami and Yugi exchanged fearful looks before shifting both their gazes to their sandwiches. If Anzu had just left, there was no doubt their friend had seen them while they were... Both of their faces were soon tinted with red. 

There was more silence as their unexpected reactions finally sunk in. 'Wow...' Even though he had kind of suspected that from the beginning, it was still surprising to find out something this big. Jounouchi just stared at them for an indeterminable amount of time, wondering what to say to break the silence. Sure he was surprised, but he didn't want to make his friends feel worse than they already did. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'm cool with it."

Slowly Yugi and Yami lifted their heads back up to stare, almost disbelieving, at Jounouchi.

"Don't look at me like that. Sure I know it's embarrassing, but there's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Y-you're not...well...disturbed?" Yugi finally found his voice, but it came out in a hesitant whisper.

"Course not! Society nowadays are very open-minded. You guys shouldn't be so surprised. And what I said was true, it is 100% alright with me." Jounouchi's lips formed into a sincere smile, which was a rather rare look for him. Relief washed through the two tri-color-haired boys since they knew their friend could never be lying when he looked like that. "So, I'm assuming you two really like each other, huh?"

Yugi's face turned bright red at the comment and he quickly ducked his head again while Yami kept his eyes locked on Jounouchi's. The crimson-eyed boy's cheeks were pink as he nodded with a small smile. It was the first time he had ever looked so flustered or uncertain, giving him a softer, more vulnerable look. 'I do, at least...' he thought a bit sadly, then turned away. Although Yugi couldn't see him, he could almost sense Yami's sadness and immediately felt a twinge in his heart.

'I still haven't answered him...' was all that was racing through his mind.

Jounouchi easily took notice of the tense, sad silence between the two boys, but he took it the wrong way. "Oh, don't worry. I know I have a big mouth, but I can keep secrets too. I swear I won't tell _anyone_."

Yugi looked up quietly. Jounouchi didn't even come close to the actual reason they were acting like this, but he was trying so hard. It wouldn't be fair and he would rather not tell his blonde friend about the situation he was in and his own confusing, undeciphered feelings. He was so relieved by Jounouchi's easy acceptance, and that was enough he needed to know for now. Although the blonde didn't show it, Yugi knew he was just as surprised as anyone else would have been, and he was happy that his friend had learned to accept something so quickly that a lot of others didn't. Jounouchi truly had a big heart. He didn't want to place a burden on him.

Yami was thinking along similar lines. As his heartbeat was finally starting to return to normal, he realized how lucky he and Yugi were to have a friend like Jounouchi. It was hard to believe they had nearly been enemies before. Pushing away his own sadness, he turned his gaze back to Jounouchi, finding that Yugi was doing the same as well.

"Yeah, we know," Yugi said softly with a smile. "We trust you, Jounouchi."

"Thank you," Yami added. "For your acceptance. It truly means a lot to us."

If it had not been for the position he was in, Jounouchi would have noticed there was something a little bit off with the smiles the two shorter boys had painted on their faces. If he hadn't been so flattered, he would have seen a bit of underlying sadness beneath the looks on Yugi and Yami's faces, something both were desperately trying to cover up. "Eh, don't mention it," he replied, rubbing the back of his head. "Now what do you say we go get some ice cream after school? My treat."

Yami and Yugi smiled in response.

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^__^ Yay! It's been a while since I ended with no cliffie!! *sigh* I like Jounouchi. He's so sweet, or at least in my opinion. ^^;; One down, thousands of fangirls to go. Don't think that'll be anytime soon, though... Also, the play will be coming soon. As to when, that's a secret. ^.~ Oi...So many people seem to be getting in the way of Yami and Yugi's getting together, though. -___- Gomen minna for the craziness back there.  I didn't even get a chance to properly introduce another helper with the disclaimers...

SC: You _idiot!! That was your fault for cutting off there!! You __could have told us everything would be all right!!_

Everyone else: Yeah!

YXW: ~.~ Nobody was listening anyway!

Everyone: *glares and eyes YXW evilly*

YXW: O_O *in a hurried voice* Thank you so much everyone who reviewed!! I know you're all mad for only making Yami confess...(But it was so fun! ^^) And I'm especially grateful to Digimagic, Karalen the Wood Elf, Yami Hiei the Chaos Mage, Hari ng Laro, Yami-kun, DarkHeart, Gin Ryu-chan, Aznsilhouette247, Ashuri chan, BenevolentPharaoh, Ashita, Becoming X, Shining December, RyuArashi, Flame Tenshi, Gokugurl, StarsFlyAway, Panther, and schizoid-baka for adding me to your favorites list!! Also, domo arigatou Sugomi, Difinity, Starkiss, and everyone else who gave me moral support on the doujinshi!! (Everything worked out!!!! ^____^ IM for the wonderful details...hee...Um...and if anyone speaks or knows Japanese [even a little is fine], I'd really really REALLY be grateful if someone could help translate ^^;;;) And finally, thank you Digimagic for all the gifts!! *huggles*

Everyone else: Yes! Thank you!!

SC: WHEEE...SUGAR!!!!! ~^___^~

YXW: I'm really sorry you couldn't help out with this chapter's disclaimers!! .__. (And you probably didn't want to considering all the madness ^^;;) I promise you'll get a grand introduction next time when everyone is civilized again!!

SC: . I heard that. *starts to sharpen pocket knife*

YXW: O__o;; *runs off to join Starkiss*

Please r/r!

P.S. Sorry, but with finals coming up, I don't think I can update anytime soon... -__- That was also why it took me so long for this chapter too. Please please don't kill me!!

Translations:

*Ano = Umm (good word to know ^^)

**Oi = Hey

***Ohayo = Good morning


	20. Chapter 20: Trust

ARIGATOU MINNA-SAN!!!! ^____^ *HUGE tackle glomp* FIRST OF ALL, I'M SO SO SO SO HAPPY NO ONE KILLED ME FOR THE LONG WAIT!!! AND SECOND OF ALL, **_820_ REVIEWS???? @___@ AND THIRD OF ALL, I'M ON MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE'S FAVORITES LISTS????!!!?!?! *faints***

Yugi: Yoo-hoo. *waves hand in front of YXW's face* Yup, she's out cold.

Everyone else: ……

Yamis: Yay!! No strip disclaimer this chapter!!!

Starkiss: *whips out big gun* Oh, no you don't! You got away with it last time, but not this time!! Mwahahahaha!!

Yamis: O.O;;

Difinity: So get moving! ^_^

YXW: *immediately jumps up while Yamis are undressing* Oooh...can't miss something like this. ^__^

Yamis: -.-;;

YXW: By the way, this chapter is dedicated to everyone who wanted some more Bakura/Ryou schtuff! ^__^ Can't say I'm too good at it, though, but I'm sure trying. As for a Yami/Yugi lemon…O.O…Wouldn't I get kicked off if I did that? Plus I've never done one before…*blush* Oh, and I've got a perfectly good reason for this slow update. Yes the finals were horrible (1 of them at least), but I've also got more news. _I finally made my own website!!! ^__^ Tis a Y/Y shrine of happiness. The URL is in my profile since ff.net doesn't upload it… ^_^ Enjoy! (And keep in mind I don't know the first thing about making websites so if it's sloppy, stupid, or breaks any rules, please let me know.)_

Yamis: *stand there in all their glory with absolutely _nothing on (cover your eyes, kiddies ^^)* #V_V# Oh, the inhumanity of this all…_

SC: Well, the sooner you say it, the sooner you'll be able to get some clothes back on.

Yamis: But why is it so long this time?!

Everyone else: *shrug*

Yamis: ……T.T *sigh* Fine. Yo Xi Wang does not own, has not owned, and will never own anything you see on the screen, except for her muse, Sugar Child, and Mika, the disgusting would-be prince of the play. This story contains happy fuzzy romance between boys, aka shounen-ai (Y/Y and B/R), and cruel and unusual torture for a particular cheerleader named Anzu. Please refrain from throwing rotten vegetables, suing the authoress, or flaming, if possible. Thank you and have a nice day.

Everyone: ………

Yugi: …That was rather…formal…

Yamis: Don't blame us. *turns to Starkiss* Can we go now??

Starkiss: *puts away big gun* Yesh, we're satisfied. Here are your clothes, boys. ^^

Yamis: *run off to change*

YXW: Thankies to Yugi-Girl, Glassed, Iris Opal Elm, Fin-Phoenix, Fuzzy Coconut, Celestial, Iced Blood, Kyuugi, introspective-mortal, Lily Maxwell / Shinigami Lily, Amonae, WisteriaDaydream, Season's True Beauty, Chi: Chobit 13, Setsuna96, Escuro de la Lus, and Hikari no Yami!! And really, thank you everyone who has been kind enough to put me on their favs lists!! *BIG tackleglomp* ^_____^ I never dreamed of even reaching 100 before…

SC: Ahem. _Moving __on to the chapter…_

Note: I have no clue what Bakura's past name in ancient Egypt was, so I'm just going to use Bakurajan. If anyone knows, please tell me!

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Chapter 20

Ryou sighed, putting down his copy of the play. He could practically feel the pent up frustration seeping through the walls of Bakura's soul room, and he couldn't help but feel guilty about it. He wasn't used to treating people this way. He had always been the kind of person who always managed to forgive others and could not hold onto anger for long, and no matter how many times he told himself Bakura deserved what he got, he still felt bad about it. Heck, he wasn't even sure if Bakura even cared whether he would talk to him or not. After all, Bakura was a very irritable person and almost anything could cause him to become frustrated.

He flipped through a few more pages of the booklet as he waited anxiously for his mother to call him down for dinner. It all seemed like gibberish to him and somehow his mind couldn't absorb anything at the moment. And with the play coming up in a few days, this wasn't good news.

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Meanwhile Bakura had stopped playing with darts and taken a liking to pacing around his soul room. He felt pathetic; since when did he care how others treated him? He had always been a loner and had always been able to take care of himself. Even back in Egypt, he was known for being the single most independent Tomb Robber of them all. He had no weaknesses back then, had nothing that could be used against him, which was why he was so hard to catch. But when he finally was caught, he had never imagined the consequences.

~Flashback~

_Bakurajan__ surveyed his surroundings as he regained consciousness. With a somewhat surprised blink, he realized he was in a dark, musty room, the only opening being a small barred window. Heavy chains were also bound to his arms and legs, preventing him from moving. He swore silently at himself for his own stupidity. What was he thinking, trying to rob the pharaoh's treasure?! Because of his continuously successful raids, he thought he had what it took to outsmart the pharaoh. Apparently not._

_His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming closer, though they were so soft he could hardly hear them. A man in a white turban peeked through the bars of the window and looked down at him solemnly, completely unfazed by the glare Bakurajan shot him._

_"Bakurajan of the Desert…That is your name is it not?" Bakurajan took notice of the man's weird speech and flat tone of voice, growling in response._

_"So what if I am? And who might you be? The guy sent to torture me? If you are, you might want to work on your intimidation skills." He snorted back._

_"My name is of no importance to you. But yes, I was sent here to make sure you are suitable for your intended punishment. It is lucky that we found you as well, for you are one of the select few who are…compatible. Now that I have seen you in person, I'm sure you will do." With that, he started to walk away._

_"Wait! What the hell does that mean?!" Bakurajan yelled after him, straining against the chains and shifting his view so he could see better. To his surprise, the turbaned man turned his head to look back at him and gave him a queer half-smirk._

_"You shall see."_

~End of flashback~

Oh, if he had only known he would be trapped for some thousand years in a stupid golden ring only to be forced partially back to life. The actual ritual itself wasn't so bad; it didn't hurt anything except for his pride that someone had gotten the better of him. But he had missed out on so much and now here was his main punishment—being forced to share a body with some guy who was causing him to act weird. He was too soft and trusting, someone Bakura couldn't get the same satisfaction from dominating as he did with others. He had gotten rather annoyed with putting up with such a softie, but when Ryou finally detached himself from him, it somehow didn't feel right.

'I swear, that turban dude must have planned this all along…' he thought wryly. 'I mean, who does that little pipsqueak think he is?! _I'm the one who's in control here!' Now was the time that his mental voice decided to remind him that Ryou had grown stronger since they first met and he could no longer be categorized as a coward. Even so, Bakura refused to acknowledge it. And he was also getting even more restless. Finally he decided that today would be the day he settle things with his light half and make sure the other knew who was in charge._

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Ryou frowned. It was already way past his usual dinnertime and he still hadn't heard any word from his mother. Finally he dragged himself unceremoniously out of his chair, opening the door and heading downstairs. Their house had a strict schedule and he knew he wasn't supposed to interrupt his mother when she was doing something, mainly cleaning or cooking at the time, but his stomach was practically begging for food.

"Mom, is lunch ready ye—" He cut off abruptly at the sight of his panic stricken mother. She was clutching at the telephone like there was no tomorrow, and her face was extremely pale. "Mom! What happened?!" The white-haired boy inquired as he rushed to his mother's side.

"It's your grandfather…" The words came out in no more than a whisper before Ryou's mother broke down into sobs.

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Jounouchi yawned, leaning back in his chair to enjoy the view of the courtyard at lunchtime. All around him, people were practicing for the play and engrossed in the little blue books they had been given. Jounouchi didn't see the point in doing all that during recess, when there was so much noise that it was hard to concentrate anyway. His policy had always been to wing it or improvise though he did look over his own lines.

He looked over by the outside tables and spotted Yugi and Yami also diligently practicing. Or at least Yugi was, with Yami looking over his shoulder and assisting in all the tough spots. Every so often Yami would lean in close to point out another tip or correction, unintentionally causing the other to blush. Jounouchi chuckled at the sight, his eyes softening at how sweet a moment it must be for both of them. Though he was kind of exasperated at the fact that the two boys didn't actually _do_ anything, he was happy for them. Even a simple-minded guy like him could tell there was genuine love pulsing with each gesture the two spiky-haired teens exchanged.

Out of the corner of his eye, he also saw Mika. The poor girl was once again by herself, situated disturbingly close to Yugi, whom she was still obviously obsessed with. The blonde shook his head at both the girl's denseness and desperation. No boy paid or ever would pay any attention to her if she remained the way she was, so she was trying to take the fullest advantage out of this play. After all, it wasn't every day that you could get a free kiss…He wondered how Yami felt about the whole situation, but so far, the crimson-eyed boy kept a cool composure with no sign of jealousy or possessiveness.

Running a hand through his golden hair, he thought back on the time when he found out Yugi and Yami had feelings for each other. He was amazed himself at how easily he had accepted it. Maybe it was because he had been expecting it all along, some way or another. Or maybe he had faced enough hardships in his own life, with a drunkard for a father and his parents' divorce, that he couldn't unnecessarily hurt another, especially someone who had proved to be a loyal and kind friend. But it was definitely worth it, to see the immensely relieved looks on both boys' faces. Honda had pointed out that Jounouchi might have been getting soft, but hey, what were friends for?

"Hmm, slacking off while all the more intelligent people are practicing? How very canine-like of you." Jounouchi jerked at the voice.

'Aw, please don't tell me…' He turned around to find the one and only Kaiba fixing him with his traditional smirk. The CEO was once again seated in the comfort of his laptop, no doubt working on some more interesting gadgets for Kaiba Corp. "Grrr, mind your own business, Kaiba."

"Well, I think it is my business since I'm chairperson of the play. It's my money that's supporting this whole thing, including _your_ neglected booklet," Kaiba replied matter-of-factly. His ability to always answer with a cool and level head was one of the things that majorly ticked Jounouchi off.

"…" Having no comeback at that, all Jounouchi could do was grumble and pick up his book. Kaiba had a point, but he would rather die first than admit it out loud. Then, an idea slowly clicked in his head. "So…you can make _any adjustments you want in the play?" he asked after some reluctance._

"Of course. Since I actually have more than half a brain, unlike a certain someone…" Jounouchi gritted his teeth and fought the urge to retort or strangle the brunette right then and there. Either one worked. It seemed Kaiba was always taking every chance to provoke him. It was annoying as heck and sometimes he wondered why the other had chosen him of all people to torment. He would never understand, but right now he needed to keep on Kaiba's somewhat good side. What he was about to do was something he never thought he would, but he reminded himself that it was for an important cause. It took every ounce of his pride to say the next few words.

"Say, Kaiba…can I ask you a favor?"

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Near the more quiet part of the school, Malik checked his watch for the umpteenth time. He had been sitting on the fence for God knows how long, waiting for Ryou to come since the pale boy had begged him so much to help with his lines in the play. Usually they met at the side of the school and enjoyed recess together, this being the only time of the day they could see each other. At times Ryou had been late, but he had never been this late before, and Malik was starting to grow impatient as well as concerned.

"What's with him?!" he mumbled to himself. "I'm not even involved in this silly role playing act, but nooo, he just had to seek _my_ help for it, didn't he?" Little did he know Ryou wasn't at school at all that day.

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Meanwhile, Ryou and his mother had just gotten home from the hospital after visiting his grandfather. It turned out that he had a serious stroke, but he had regained consciousness. Immediately upon entering the house, Ryou excused himself to go to his room.

"Ryou, dear, you sure you don't want anything to eat? You haven't had any breakfast," his mother inquired gently.

"…No thanks," came the reply in a voice that sounded as if would shatter any second. There was a click as he closed the door to his room. Then a small flash which his mother didn't notice as he retreated to the privacy of his soul room.

Ryou's mother let out a soft sigh. She too felt horrible about the incident and seriously wanted to sleep it off at the moment, but there were things that needed to be taken care of. 'I'd better call Ryou in sick first before I forget again,' she thought, heading for the phone.

As soon as he was within the sanctuary of his soul room, Ryou plopped down on his bed and buried his face in his pillow. He couldn't believe anything as serious as a stroke could happen to his grandfather. Sure the old man was weird at times, but he took good care of himself. The thought of him almost going unconscious made Ryou feel sick to his stomach.

That wasn't all that bothered him, though. What his grandfather had said at the hospital also stuck in his head. His words sounded eerily unnatural for the type of person the elderly man was. He had told Ryou about a strange dream he had had, and he claimed that the dream was a vision that held a message for his grandson. His grandpa definitely wasn't a man who believed strongly in spirits and magic, so it must have been serious.

After the man had finished telling his story, he noticed the Millennium Ring hidden underneath Ryou's sweater and his eyes went wide. Ryou then had to awkwardly explain how he had gotten the ring, lying his way through it since he was sure his grandfather would think he was crazy if he said he had an alter ego. Luckily, the old man seemed to buy the story of the hidden compartment within the box Ryou's father had sent.

"Anyway, I think the dream was referring to your ring," he paused for a second to think. "There was a lot of warmth…I think it meant that you should trust your new item or something of the like." Then, seeing the shocked expression on his grandson's face, he quickly added jokingly, "Of course, it's just the dreams of an old geezer like me. It probably doesn't mean anything..."

It wasn't that Ryou thought his grandpa was strange, it was that he couldn't believe what the dream was claiming. To trust Bakura was like putting your trust into a glass platter—it shattered so easily. Hadn't he already given the spirit a chance? And what had resulted because of it? Violence, revenge, and near-death of one of his classmates. That was the last time he was listening to his dark half. But it was also his own fault that it happened. It was his own fault that he had been weak enough to listen. Would it be another mistake if forgave the past Tomb Robber? Of course, it would mean another beating for sure if he ever showed his face to a frustrated Bakura.

He bit his lip, feeling utterly overwhelmed by all these feelings. Fear, self-anger, indecision, confusion, disbelief, sorrow, and helplessness among others all blended together like a humongous tidal wave that was out to swallow him. And this time, he could turn to no one for comfort…

The turmoil of emotions did not only disrupt Ryou's soul. The intensity of them seeped through his soul room and knocked at the door of the one across from it. Bakura, not particularly paying attention at the moment, felt the shift of surroundings and mistook it for the usual tug Ryou would perform to indicate the end of his chores. That meant the coast was clear. 

'Time to give the little squirt a piece of my mind,' he thought, nearly stomping over to Ryou's soul room and without even bothering to knock, he barged in. "Okay, listen up, ba—" He stopped short at the sight that met him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was ten minutes before the bell for the end of lunch would ring. Malik was still sitting there with clenched fists and silently berating himself about a wasted lunch period. He finally spotted some form of life other than himself in that area in which to ask—a janitor.

"Um, excuse me sir, but have you seen Ryou Bakura in school today?" he asked as the janitor dumped another black bag into the garbage bin.

"Hmm…" the man paused to think a bit. "Actually I think that name sounds familiar. I think I heard on the news about some Mr. Bakura being in the hospital."

That struck a bell as Malik realized why Ryou didn't show up as they had planned. He knew how much his friend's grandpa meant to him and couldn't believe he hadn't thought of asking earlier. 'Poor Ryou…' Without a second thought, he jumped over to the other side of the fence and went in search of Ryou's house.

The janitor was left staring after him. "…Doesn't anyone bother to say thank you anymore?" He grumbled, then continued with his work.

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Bakura stared. And stared. And stared some more. Until he was sure the figure on the soul room bed wasn't some crazy illusion. Ryou was a wreck, not on the outside, but internally, and all internal conditions were reflected by his soul room. Currently the boy was slumped on the bed, sitting with his head down, his hair a mess due to how many times he had pulled it in the last few minutes while swirls of ominous colors and emotions rampaged all around him. "What in seven hells happened to you?!" Bakura finally blurted out, his voice getting distorted by all the elements in the room.

Ryou looked up in surprise then quickly dropped his gaze back down when he saw it was Bakura. Of course, what had he been expecting? The sight of his dark half only served to strengthen the emotions he was feeling, so much that he didn't notice the small flicker of concern that came with Bakura's words. He didn't and couldn't answer. What would Bakura care anyway?

With an exasperated sigh, Bakura moved closer, swatting at the dark clouds and splotches of color. He didn't know what was going on with Ryou, but he refused to be ignored any longer. Grasping the smaller boy by the shoulders, he shook him slightly. "Don't you dare defy me! Now what's wrong with you?!" When Ryou finally lifted his head, Bakura nearly pulled back in surprise. Now that he was closer, he could see the emotions swirling in those normally soft, clear brown eyes. They looked so helpless and pleading. Since when did his light fall into such a condition? It was so drastically different from the last time he saw him…But that was so long ago, he reminded himself, that anything could have happened. That strange feeling, a mix of guilt and something else, started to form again in the pit of his stomach.

"…Just leave me alone…please…" That did it. Bakura snapped, for what reason, he didn't know yet, which wasn't hard to achieve since he had a very short temper. He started shaking the other boy furiously as if trying to knock some sense back into him.

"Baka! You sure have some nerve! Look at you! You're probably about the most pathetic person in the whole world right now! You're sitting here silently brooding, or crying, or whatnot, I don't know. But you're sitting here by yourself wallowing in your own self-pity!!"

"…There's more to it than that…" Ryou replied weakly once Bakura stopped shaking him.

"More to it my butt! Are you going to stay like this forever? Because it seems that way with how idiotic you're acting right now! You're not even letting the people who are worried about you help!! Get over it, will you?!" Ryou froze at this, looking up at Bakura with rapidly blinking eyes as his mind became clearer.

"Bakura…I think that's the first nice thing you've ever said to me…" The white-haired boy's eyes watered slightly, and the past Tomb Robber found himself trapped under that wide-eyed gaze. Ryou almost couldn't believe it. It sounded as if Bakura actually cared…After all Bakura had done, he had enough of a conscience left to care about his state of mind. If he really was as cruel and heartless as Ryou had originally thought, he wouldn't have bothered at all to come and yell at him the way he did. Maybe…maybe his grandfather's dream had some meaning to it after all…He hoped it wasn't only his imagination as he collapsed into the other, mentally exhausted from all the stress he had been through recently.

Bakura nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt Ryou lean into him, unable to stop the extra heat that rose into his cheeks momentarily. He scowled and made note that he would berate himself about it later. "Hold on…I meant…" He was about to explain that he meant Ryou's mother and all the other mortals that Ryou spent time with. But then again, he himself didn't know what he had meant. It was just a burst of random ranting and raving that he himself didn't process until he was finished. But upon noticing that the atmosphere in the soul room was starting to clear, he decided to keep his mouth shut. Might as well let the boy recover first before doing anything else.

'So this was what he needed?' he thought, slightly amused. Feeling strangely awkward with his arms still on Ryou's shoulders, he tried to let go only to find that he couldn't unless he wanted to drop the tired boy. Besides, it wasn't as if the warmth bothered him…oddly enough. He had always despised the always too-hot-for-its-own-good sun that beat down on Egypt all day. But this was a different kind of warmth…

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"Ryou! Are you in there?" Malik called through the door to Ryou's room. His voice, unfortunately, disrupted the delicate moment that formed between the two white-haired boys.

"Oh…that's Malik…He must be worried…" Ryou mumbled, slowly removing himself from Bakura's arms. "…Um…thanks…Bakura…" he murmured shyly, keeping his eyes glued to the floor. Then, in a flash of light, his soul returned to his body just as Malik burst in through the door.

"Ryou! I've been looking for you everywhere! I heard about what happened…Are you sure you're all right?"

"U-un…" Ryou nodded, even managing a small smile. "I'm fine." Malik let out a sigh of relief. Although his friend didn't look so great, he knew Ryou would never lie.

"Okay, good, 'cause your mom just made a special lunch for you. And I know you're hungry," the sandy-haired boy said with a grin. And Ryou couldn't help but smile back, realizing that Malik was right.

"Yea, I suppose so…" He started slowly towards the stairs but Malik stopped him.

"Need some help? You look worn out." Ryou nodded gratefully, allowing Malik to drape his arm over his shoulder, supporting him as they walked downstairs. (A/N: Picture the scene in Battle City when Ryou was injured. ^^)

Bakura had to bite back a growl when he saw this. He had been watching the whole time, mostly to make sure Ryou was able to handle his own weight once he was back in his body, and at first he was almost glad that Malik was there to help. It had been fine, until now. He felt something within him twitch and boil with an immediate dislike for the sandy-haired teen and some other foreign feeling, and it took everything he had to keep himself from taking over Ryou's body and wiping the smile off Malik's face. It surprised him how strong these feelings were, almost frighteningly strong, but he refused to let himself dwell on it. Pushing everything aside, he retreated back to his own soul room. He had a lot of thinking to do.

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YXW: Hee. I dunno. I picture Bakura kind of like Inuyasha from the anime Inuyasha. He can't be all bad, can he? ^^; By the way, you should probably all know that baka means idiot, and if you don't, you now do. So yah. That was my pathetic attempt at B/R. Ack. Short chapter too. Dun kill kudasai! O.o

Yugi: You meanie!! You barely mentioned Yami and me!

YXW: Gomen ne, Yugi. I'll make it up to you when the play comes around…ne, Yami?

Yugi & Yami: *blush*

Everyone else: ^_______^

YXW: Hmm…to have Jou and Seto, or to not have Jou and Seto…

SC: Oi…what are you mumbling about now?

YXW: I'm trying to decide if there should be a little S/J in here…I just saw a really nice piccie…^^ Maybe if my B/R didn't suck too badly I could attempt…

SC: Well, go brood on it later. It was the 4th of July yesterday!

Everyone: *gathers together in yukatas (summer kimonos)* Happy 4th of July!! Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!!

Starkiss: O.o Uhh…why did we just wish everyone a happy new year?

Everyone else: ………O.O;;

YXW: Er…please r/r!


	21. Chapter 21: Preparations

EEK!! 6 WEEKS?!! *slaps herself again and again* Wo gai si! Wo bu shi ren!! (Quote often used by the Chinese, meaning: I should die! I'm not human!!)

Yugi: There, there, Yo Xi Wang-san…Suicide isn't the answer…__

YXW: *sniff* Thank you Yugi-chan…*huggles*

Yami: *growls and fist starts to shake ominously* _MINE_, you hear?! *pulls Yugi away and starts to cuddle him*

Yugi: *blush* Ahmm…

Everyone besides Y and Y: Awwww…^___^

YXW: Ahem. Sorry, Yami. O.O;; It was a slip of the tongue, I swear!! Anyway, I really am sorry for the long wait! O__O The summer's slipping so quickly!! Nooooooooooo!!

SC: *cough*

YXW: Oh, right! I'm sorry I forgot to introduce our newest helper before! Presenting…the astounding, the amazing, the oh so generous Digimagic!!

Digimagic: *steps out on a big red carpet throwing candy and roses to all* Konnichiwa! ^.^

SC: *pounces on the candy*

Everyone else: Hi! Thanks for all your great gifts!

Digimagic: No prob! ^^ It's an honor to work with the disclaimer committee!

Starkiss: Hey, where are Yugi-kun and Yami-kun?

Difinity: *thinks back to this morning when she found the two bishies were locked in her dad's closet and apparently not able to hear her with what they were doing at that time* Um…I think they're…busy. ^_^;

YXW: Ah. *nods* Understandable. Well, okay, then. Yami, you're off the hook this time. Wouldn't want you to embarrass yourself alone. Digimagic, would you do the honors?

Digimagic: Sure! ^_^ Lesse…*reads from card* Yo Xi Wang does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! If she did, Anzu would not exist and Yugi and Yami and Ryou and Bakura would be kissing every five minutes of every episode! ^__^ This fic is hers, though, so these conditions, or at least close to them, apply. If you are bothered by boys having feelings for other boys, please leave now. Otherwise, enjoy!

YXW: Thank you, Digimagic. ^_^ Now moving onto the chapter…By the way, thanks for your opinions on S/J! ^.^ As for the result…Mwahaha…I guess you'll have to wait and see! ^.~

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Chapter 21

Yugi hummed softly to himself, not feeling the least bit silly as he twirled in front of the full length mirror in his play costume. He just felt so elated, that he could only express his excess happiness with silly gestures. Yami was going to see him on stage! He flushed as he thought of being under the scrutiny of those clear crimson orbs, but he was slightly embarrassed that he had to wear a dress. He wondered what Yami would think of the kissing scene. It irked him to no end even to _think about it, but not in the way everyone thought. No, it wasn't because of Mika's…er…untidiness, but because, well, he didn't like to be kissed by anyone except Yami…_

He suddenly found himself looking at a tomato-red reflection. 'Argh!! Why am I even thinking about this?! There's no way Ms. Kimochi would let Yami be the prince!' Biting his lip, he put his focus back on his costume. It seemed to fit. Ms. Rico had really outdone herself. It was a great dress, thankfully not too frilly or pinkish, but it still made Yugi extremely grateful a wig was part of the outfit. It actually wasn't half bad.

There was a light knock on the door. "Yugi? Can I come in?" Yami's rich voice, although muffled, still startled Yugi.

"Uh…sure," he replied, fumbling to remove the silly wig.

"What are you doing?" Yami asked. He seated himself on the bed and watched the other curiously.

"Just trying on my costume. Still, I think I'll have to ask for some adjustments. It's only two more days until I have to wear it in public. Oh, the humiliation of it all…"

"Yup. Lucky me. I promised to get a front row seat," the crimson-eyed teen joked.

"Yami!"

"Just kidding, Yugi," Yami's lips slowly formed into a grin that would've made any fangirl melt, but it was reserved only for Yugi. "You look…wonderful." A flush spread across Yugi's face at the sincerity of those words, but he couldn't help but beam happily.

"T-thanks," he squeaked, turning back to the mirror shyly as random images of Yami in the prince's costume filled his mind. He could just _imagine_ Yami saying those exact same words while they were dancing in the forest scene and how perfect everything would seem if that could only happen…And he would much rather have Yami kiss him than…_her_. In truth, he and Yami hadn't kissed at all since the hospital incident and of course Yugi didn't have the courage to initiate one or ask for one. He had liked the feeling, to be honest, but he still felt incredibly shy when it came to matters like this. Hugs and cuddles were nice. Being in Yami's arms always made him feel safe and it seemed that nothing else in the world mattered.

Yami watched Yugi's eyes undergo a variety of emotions, definitely sensing something was bothering the smaller boy. He smiled softly; he could understand that Yugi was nervous about the whole thing. Even he was a tad bit nervous himself, for although he was rather proud and pleased that Yugi got to play such an important role, he was still bothered by that one scene, or second as the case may be. He had grown to be rather possessive of the one he loved, startling even himself that day when he nearly growled when Mika and Yugi were practicing. Ever since he had tried very _very_ hard to suppress his discomfort, afraid it would affect Yugi's performance or hurt his feelings. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt the amethyst-eyed angel in any way.

Another knock on the door brought both boys out of their thoughts. Without warning, the gray-bearded face of Sugoroku Mutou popped in. "Say boys, do you mind doing me a favor and bringing this to the old card shop downtown?" He held out a small package wrapped in foil.

"Aww, Ji-chan…Another one of your chores?" Yugi sighed. "I was planning on taking my costume to Ms. Rico today for some adjustments." He motioned to what he was wearing.

"Really? It looks great to me. I'd say it suits your…inner feminism," the elderly man said, raising an amused eyebrow.

"Ji-chan!!" Yugi protested, ears turning an adorable pink.

Yami stifled a chuckle at the sight and decided to help Yugi out. "Don't worry. I'll deliver it. I've passed by that old shop tons of times." He took the package from Sugoroku's hands.

"Thanks, Yami," Yugi smiled gratefully, joining Yami as they both walked downstairs. "See you later, Ji-chan!"

"Bye, boys! And don't stay out too long!"

"We won't. It's not like we'll be doing anything." However, Yugi's innocent reply sounded far from innocent to the poor man's ears. His eyes widened as random images of the two boys doing not-so-innocent things came to mind. (A/N: Yes, Yugi's grandpa IS a slightly perverted old man. Yes, he is. In the manga, he estimated Anzu's bra size…O.o Now if that's not proof, I don't know what is…^^)

'I must be working too hard,' he shook his head, mentally slapping himself as he walked back behind the counter. 'Yes, that must be it…'

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Bakura found himself sighing yet again for the umpteenth time that week and folded his arms across his chest. He was in his spirit form, invisible to everyone except for his other half and glaring daggers at a very oblivious Malik as he and Ryou walked down the street. 'This is wonderful…just wonderful…' he remarked to himself. 'This M-guy, whatever his name is, just HAS to insist on assisting my light no matter WHERE he goes!!' Over the past several days, Bakura had come to find Ryou less and less of a bother until calling him by any of the names he used to didn't feel right anymore. One day he had let the name of "my light" slip and immediately felt like smacking himself for it. Ryou had looked so happy though that Bakura had begrudgingly agreed to address him by that from then on. It was unnerving how that had happened, but Bakura decided not to dwell on it more than necessary.

"Say, Ryou, are you hungry?" Malik said, motioning to a nearby snack stand. "I'll get us some ice cream."

"Ah…no, that's okay. You really don't have to—"

"My treat. You know, to help ease the pain of your grandfather's death." Ryou tried to protest but Malik was already gone and waiting on line. The while-haired boy sweatdropped. Malik had been going on and on and doing him all these favors recently in order to make up for something he didn't even do. Sure it was really nice of him, but Ryou couldn't help but feel his friend was going a bit overboard. He also seriously feared for Malik's life, seeing the looks Bakura had given him, although they couldn't be seen by their target. He didn't know why Bakura disliked his friend, though. He figured that the spirit probably just disliked everyone and that this was nothing new. Ryou often twitched or fidgeted whenever he sensed that Bakura was particularly steamed, usually when the sandy-haired teen was around, but Malik assumed it was side effects of trauma and only stuck even closer to his friend. (A/N: *shakes head* Malik, you poor, poor thing…)

Still, as he ate his ice cream cone, he couldn't help but think Bakura had a heart, small as it was. Why else would he have comforted him back then, though in his own weird way. The chocolate-eyed boy smiled slightly when he thought of the scene. He was glad Bakura didn't hate him anymore. Maybe they might even be able to establish a friendship…or had they already? Ryou thought back on the past week, how many times Bakura had grudgingly helped him when Malik wasn't around, the new name Bakura used to address him, and all the absences of the cold glares and harsh words. He truly hoped it wasn't because the darker half also pitied him because of his grandfather. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he sensed Bakura watching him. /Something wrong?/

//…// Bakura blinked, taken by surprise, and just realizing he had been staring at the smaller boy for the past minute. He fought the urge to let his embarrassment show and desperately searched for an excuse. //…That pink thing you're eating…//

/Oh, this? I thought I told you before. It's strawberry ice cream./ Ryou explained. /Want some?/

//Hell no. You think I would go within 10 feet of _that bozo who can't even eat right?// He aimed a ghostly finger at Malik, who was innocently eating his ice cream._

/Um…you are within 10 feet of him, you know…/ Upon seeing Bakura narrow his eyes, he quickly amended himself. /Ah, in solid form you mean./ He quickly turned back to his ice cream, mentally slapping himself for making the spirit's already bad mood even worse.

"Are you okay, Ryou? You've been really quiet," Malik finally spoke up. "You aren't still brooding, are you? Remember, suicide isn't the answer."

"Huh? No, I'm fine! Really, Malik…My grandpa's death isn't such a big deal!" And it was the truth. The main reason he had been so upset was because of the issue with Bakura and one of his classmate's near-death, but amazingly the very same person who had caused him the pain in the first place had helped ease it. If it wasn't for what Bakura did, he might have still been in that fetal position, possibly even shutting Malik out within the strong walls of his soul room. The very thought chilled him, seeing as how concerned his friend was. He was beginning to see what his grandfather meant with his last words. If he hadn't trusted Bakura at that time, he really would have been in for a bleak future.

"Well…if you say so," Malik said, then suddenly seized Ryou's hand with both of his own, determination flashing in those mystic lavender eyes. "But still, I want to make it up to you. I should've called you or something when you didn't show up at the playground in the first place."

Ryou was rather taken aback by this gesture and couldn't help a slight pink hue from coloring his cheeks. Something that didn't go unnoticed by Bakura. The spirit bristled, once again flaring up with that foreign feeling that he couldn't quite place his finger on and clenched his fists, imagining Malik's thin, tanned neck within his grasp. Oh, yes, one day when his light wasn't looking…

"Er…thanks. That's really nice of you, Malik," Ryou replied, earning a triumphant beam from his friend.

"Okay, great! Now hurry up. I want to show you something at this old card shop downtown…"

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Seto Kaiba strolled down the street, having just finished his business at Domino High School. He smirked to himself. That had been way too easy, considering what he would get in return…

"Kaiba! Wait!" The CEO turned around with a bored expression on his face to stare down at a very disheveled Mika who looked worse than usual. She looked absolutely pathetic from his point of view. "Please…you can't do this!"

"And why not? Didn't the teacher agree to this as well?" His gaze was cold and unwavering although there was some amusement in it.

"Yes, but…You must have bribed her or something!! She knows how much effort I've put into my part, how much I look forward to it!! You can't just take it all away!!!"

Kaiba winced slightly from how high and screechy those last words sounded, instantly being reminded of the fit Anzu threw when he declined her offer to go out with her. "It's none of my business," he shrugged and resumed walking.

"Nooo!!" Mika whined. "Please! You have to reconsider! Please!!" The poor girl frantically chased after Kaiba, yet all her cries and pleas were in vain. Finally she latched onto the CEO's arm with a painfully tight grip.

Kaiba growled in annoyance and shot the desperate girl a warning glare which would've chilled the blood of almost anyone. "I'll give you three seconds to let go of me," he stated in a soft, dangerous voice. Now most people would know to oblige at this point, but not Mika, who had enough stubbornness to fill a planet. After three seconds had passed, Kaiba snapped his fingers using his free hand.

At once several of Kaiba Corp's appointed bodyguards appeared and took Mika by the arms, wrenching her off the brunette's sleeve. "Hey! Let go of me!!" she screeched, kicking and squirming, but to no avail. Before he left, Kaiba turned his head to look at her.

"Be grateful that I have enough courtesy to seldom hurt girls," he told her pointedly. He silently laughed to himself as he continued walking, blocking out Mika's cries as she was carried off into the distance.

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Jounouchi was awoken to a less-than-friendly knocking on the door of his apartment. He tumbled out of bed with a start and rubbed his head, thankful that his dad wasn't home at the moment. Grumbling and shaking off the remnants of sleep, he opened the door. "Nanda*?" He mumbled sleepily.

"Still sleeping at this hour? Why am I not surprised?"

Jounouchi found himself immediately awake and rather annoyed yet startled to find Kaiba standing in front of his home. 'What's he talking about? It's only 11…' He suppressed his involuntary impulse to flame at the insult, though, trying to keep calm, and gave the other a level stare.

Kaiba snorted at his silent defiance. "Well, I just came here to let you know I've carried out your little 'request.'"

At this, the blonde brightened, but his joy soon vanished, being replaced with dread. "I…see. All right, what do you want in return? Though being as rich as you are, I doubt you need anything."

"What? Not even a thank you? I expected so much more…even from a puppy dog."

"Grrr, I've already thanked you, didn't I?" Jounouchi growled, feeling his control start to slip. "Anyway, just hurry up and spit it out! I don't have much money, but I'll try to pay you back now."

Again Kaiba smirked, which meant trouble. Calmly he took a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Jounouchi, who paled upon reading it. There were a few tense moments of silence.

"You're kidding me…" The blonde finally choked out. 'God, this guy makes Otogi look like a joke…' He looked up to find that the CEO's smirk had broken into a full-toothed grin, something scary and yet…it looked so close to a smile that Jounouchi found himself entranced for the briefest moment. He shook it off and swallowed what was left of his pride. "At least wait until the whole play thing's over, okay?"

Kaiba shrugged. "If it pleases you. Prolonging your humiliation, eh?" He didn't get and didn't expect an answer. With his task completed, he turned and starting walking away. "We'll start on Monday. Come to the mansion half an hour before school and don't you dare be late."

Jounouchi didn't even bother to watch as the billionaire disappeared down the stairs, but he did make sure the other was out of earshot before shutting the door and sliding down to lean against it. He clenched his fists in frustration. "K'so!!!** I AM NOT A STUPID PUPPY DOG!!!!!"

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"Thank you for going through all this trouble. Give Sugoroku-san*** my gratitude." The keeper of the old card shop, another aging man, said to Yami, who politely bowed.

"I will," he replied. As soon as he got outside he took a huge breath, glad to be free of the mustiness that hung thickly inside the store. Now that that was done, he would be able to go to the school and meet up with Yugi. The mere thought brought a smile to his lips. He was snapped out of his reverie, though, when he heard approaching footsteps and a certain voice he swore he had heard before…

"I also heard this guy's got a bunch of holographic Change of Heart cards! They're your favorite, aren't they?" Malik chatted excitedly while Ryou tried his best to keep him from doing anything too crazy, namely skipping down the sidewalk.

"Y-Yeah. I'm sure this store's great," the white-haired boy couldn't help but sweatdrop when Malik didn't stop in his energetic stride, still dragging Ryou by the hand in such a way that got many passerbys staring. Luckily there weren't too many around at the moment.

It took Yami a few seconds, but he finally recognized the gentle voice of his white-haired classmate. A wave of panic overtook him when he realized that meant that the spirit of the Millennium Ring and the last person he ever wanted to see was nearby as well. He searched around, ducking into an alley in the nick of time before Ryou and Malik turned the corner. Peeking carefully from the safety of the shadows, he was surprised to find Bakura half-floating behind the two talking teens.

It was getting harder and harder with each passing minute for Bakura to keep himself inconspicuous, especially considering the amount of concentration he needed to keep his spiritual form invisible to the public. He was half tempted to just pop up and scare the wits out of the extremely annoying (in his opinion) sandy-haired boy. Presently he was in a state in which most people wouldn't notice him, unless they looked really closely, which was true in Yami's case. Of course, Bakura was too wrapped up in watching Malik and his light to acknowledge his surroundings.

Yami breathed a sigh of relief when Bakura passed him by without incident, the bell of the card shop's door signaling the group of teens had entered. He almost couldn't believe his luck that he had escaped, when he had experienced the alertness of the white-haired spirit before, but he figured it was just because Bakura thought he was already dead that he had let down his guard. Without a word, he slipped out of the alley and continued heading toward Domino School.

Meanwhile, inside the shop, Malik had finally given his friend some breathing space and gone off to drool at the collection of God card souvenirs. Ryou sighed and turned around to face his dark half, just enjoying the feeling of them finally being alone. Why that was, he didn't know.

Bakura just looked back at him. Just looked. Not glared, not stared, not eyed. For the first time in both of their lives they seemed to understand each other without words and there existed a peaceful silence between them. Still, Ryou was compelled to ask.

/Why do you seem to hate Malik so much?/

At this Bakura's cold gray eyes hardened. He set his jaw stubbornly, though, refusing to reveal the real reason for this obvious dislike. //I just do.//

/Is it because he's my friend?/

//Friend? Friend!? He's practically hanging all over you!/ This came out as a snort, as if he couldn't care one way or another, but internally it felt pretty good to actually come out and say what he was feeling.

Ryou frowned. /Malik's just like that. He's just trying to cheer me up, though he's definitely going overboard. But it's not really necessary anymore. I'm fine now…/ Then, unexpectedly, a smile formed on his face. /…thanks to you./ He suddenly went pink, hardly believing he had just said that, and half expecting a sarcastic remark or two from Bakura.

There was none, for Bakura was left at a loss for words as well. He had enough self control not to let the color show on his face, but that simple sentence had caused his heart to beat a little faster. Never before had that happened, yet it somehow didn't seem to be as bad as he had once thought. Keeping his gaze carefully off Ryou, he gave a slight, almost humble nod, and disappeared back into the ring.

The uncharacteristic reaction left Ryou rather surprised, and somehow he couldn't shake the strange new sensation that formed from it. He did note that it left him rather happy, for he was now almost sure that that incident had meant something to Bakura, that the spirit really did seem to care. He had no more time to dwell on it, though, as Malik returned and started to drag him off elsewhere to another part of the shop.

"Come on, Ryou! You've been staring at that glass for the past five minutes!" Malik remarked as he pushed the other by the shoulders from behind. "What's gotten into you?"

"Ah, no…it's nothing…" Ryou replied, blushing slightly. He wasn't aware of the ominous rumbling that sounded from within the Millennium Ring.

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Yami walked down the street slowly, deep in thought. That had been most likely only the first of the many close calls he would have in the future. He hated the feeling of having to hide from something. It made him feel weak, cowardly, and even more undeserving of Yugi's love. Yes, at some point in time, his whole reason for being had shifted from living and protecting himself to risking everything for the smaller tri-color-haired boy. At first he had found it quite frightening, but had come to accept it, marveling at how powerful an influence love was.

"Yoo-hoo!! Yaaaami!!"

The voice caused Yami to instinctively cringe and he turned with a cold glare towards a bumbling Anzu. What she had attempted to do the last time they met was still fresh in his mind.

"Hey!" Anzu greeted amiably, or as friendly as she could manage. She was so ecstatic to see that Yami was alone that she had completely forgotten what had occurred last time. "Wanna go get something to eat at the new snack stand?"

Yami blinked. The fact that the girl had apparently forgotten her misdeeds was enough to make her want to punch her in the face, but he controlled himself, struggling to be polite. "No. No thanks. I have to meet with Yugi."

At this Anzu's temper finally exploded in front of the crimson-eyed boy. "Yugi this, Yugi that! You're _always with Yugi!! Why don't you ever have time for **ME**?!" She even started crying a little, hoping to win some sympathy, but was shocked to find those crimson orbs had narrowed and Yami's face had formed into a scowl of disgust._

"First of all, I don't know you very well. Second of all, Yugi means a lot to me. And third of all, that is _not_ the way to get someone's attention." With a swift turn, he was gone, leaving a shaky and whimpering Anzu behind. She collapsed onto the ground, still feeling dazed, and not in a good way. It was the first time a guy, save for Jounouchi, had yelled, or actually nearly yelled at her, and she was not in the condition to take it. She realized dismally that she never really had much of a chance with the gorgeous leather-clad hunk of Domino High, and her hatred of Yugi only grew.

"…Oh, you shall pay…Yell at _me like that, will you?!" She began laughing hysterically, all her wits having left her. "I will make you mine, Yami Mutou!! You'll be MINE, you hear?!?!"_

"Hey! Shut up down there, will ya?!" Several windows opened revealing several angry moms with several crying babies who had been rudely awakened from their afternoon slumber. Seeing that the brown-haired girl only continued to laugh, they angrily started to throw numerous objects including dirty diapers, soda cans, and rotten baby food at the source of disturbance. 

Anzu screeched and yelled as she was pelted from all directions, helpless to do anything but run as fast as her jelly-like legs would carry her. "Damn you, Yami and Yugi!! I'll get you for this!!"

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Yugi surveyed his surroundings, searching for Yami as he came out of the school. He held his new, improved costume in his arms. He hadn't expected that Ms. Rico would tend to it as soon as he got there and so it ended up taking longer than he thought. 'Yami's probably home already,' he thought to himself before setting off for the game shop.

Little did he know that he just missed Yami. The crimson-eyed teen waited for a while outside until he decided to go in and check. Just as he was passing the auditorium, he was startled by a loud wailing. Curious, he peeked in to find Mika with tears streaking uncontrollably down her cheeks.

"Please PLEEEEEASE!!! No guy would ever want to take my place!! Why can't _I be the prince?!"_

At the side, Ms. Kimochi was desperately trying to calm her, but to no avail. "I'm sorry, Mika, but it's Mr. Kaiba's orders. We can't host this play at all without his support. Although I do wonder why he wants such a specificity…"

"What's going on?" Yami asked, taking both the teacher and the student by surprise. Ms. Kimochi then went through the process of explaining to the boy the predicament they were in, which, to Yami, wasn't a predicament at all. Apparently Kaiba had semi-threatened the drama committee that the role of prince must be played by a male, but all the other parts must be permanent, otherwise he would refuse to fund the whole project. Yami could hardly believe his ears at the amazingly lucky coincidence. Or was it?

"…And so we're kind of in a jam here, since there are only a handful of boys who are available for the job and I'm pretty sure it'd be hard to convince them, with Yugi as the princess and all," the drama teacher concluded with a sigh.

Yami remained silent, not letting the unbelievable delight show on his face. "Well, I wouldn't mind taking the part if no one else will," he replied calmly, carefully keeping his face impassive. At this unexpected statement, Ms. Kimochi blinked in surprise and relief while Mika started to break down into cries again.

"You would really do that?" The older woman asked and was assured by a sharp nod of Yami's head along with the slightest traces of an enigmatic smile on his lips. "Thank you, Yami. We'll have a costume made for you right away. You're lucky since the prince doesn't have many lines. Now, what color would you like your costume to be?"

"Crimson," Yami said smoothly, not even needing to think. That had always been his favorite color as far back as he could remember.

"Okay, crimson it is." The drama teacher made a few marks in her notebook, a bit taken aback that such a peculiar choice was made for she had never seen any crimson prince outfits before. But she supposed there was a first time for everything. She then handed a booklet and a few papers to Yami. "Come, Mika," she said gently to the slumped girl and led them both out of the auditorium.

Yami waited until they left and then let loose the grin he had been holding for the past few minutes. He looked up dazedly at the multicolored lights of the stage, still smiling and his almond eyes shining. "Wait until Yugi hears about this."

To be continued…

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Phew! Yay! I'm happy! There was a little bit of everything in this chapter. ^_^ Strangely enough, I actually had fun torturing poor Jou-kun…^^;; I also updated my website (again)! More Chibis!! *squeals* Don't steal!! I swear, I'm obsessed with webbies now…

Starkiss: Still no play. *pouts*

Digimagic & Difinity: *glare*

YXW: ^^;;; In the next chapter, I PROMISE!! I've prolonged it long enough! Oh, and I also promise to have the next chapter done before school starts again. I feel really really bad that I've been procrastinating when I really shouldn't be.

SC: I'll say. Let's count all the anime you've been downloading off Kazaa, shall we? Prince of Tennis, Gravitation, Hikaru no Go, Angelic Layer, Fushigi Yuugi, Shaman King, Love Hina, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Chobits…

YXW: Alright! Alright!!! They get the picture already!! ___

SC: ^_^

YXW: Ack, lack of fluff, I know! But just wait till Yami and Yugi get together! Mwahahahaha!! FLUFF GALORE!! ^__^ And of course, lotsa passionate kisses…Mmmm…As for lemons…uh…won't I get kicked off if I tried that? O.O Not to say I haven't thought about them…*grins*

Yugi & Yami: ^___^

YXW: Hee, looks like Malik is being overly friendly, huh? ^_^ Don't worry. It's all part of the fun of provoking and annoying Baku-chan. 

Bakura: *pops in* _What__ did you just call me?!? _

YXW: ^_^;; By the way, Ragna01, I love your idea! Hehehehehe…Thank you Kami9, Yami and Yugi fan 12, Celestial Magician, Trunks4ever, Opal Bean, flowacat, Junko the Lost, Safire1, metallic bubbles, Tariki Rania, and Chibi Emri Shade for adding me onto your favorite authors' lists!! ^___^ Please tell me if I missed your name!! Er…is it just me, or do people often like to change their pennames? I'm confused…@__@

Digimagic: *reads from card* Gravitation rocks!! Oops, wrong side…Please r/r!!

Translations:

*Nanda = WHAT?! (Dunno why, but I like it when Jou says "Nanda" better than "what" ^_^ He sounds really irritated…)

**K'so = Damn (Same reason as above. ^_^ Hmm, must have been watching too much Japanese YGO…)

***-san = honorific suffix added to people you respect or those older than you


	22. Chapter 22: Princely Obligations

~^____^~ WAI!!!! I just realized how close I am to 1000 reviews!! @___@ I'd always thought of that was a far off, impossible dream…but wow…O.O THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR REVIEWS AND SUPPORT!!! ^___________^

Now, then. I DID have this chapter all typed up before school started on the 3rd, but whoopdee doo! Our Internet decided NOT to boot. ~.~ We just got a new cable to hook up to the modem and it FINALLY works again!! ~^__^~ Living without the Internet is HARD!!! ;__; Sorry for not being online and not updating my website! V_V So uh…just pretend you're reading this like…a week ago since I'm too lazy to retype everything. -_-

Also, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed "Frozen Flames"!!! ^___^ You're so kind! I feel loved!! Hee, I'm glad it wasn't an idea that was already used. ^^ *huggles*

SC: O.O She's huggling the _laptop_?! Beware!! This authoress has gone MAD!! MAD I TELL YOU!!!!

Difinity: *whacks SC with a hammer* I think you've had a bit too much sugar, Sugar-chan…

SC: X_x

Digimagic: *blink* Hey, where'd Starkiss go?

YXW: On vacation. ^^ She was kind enough to send me an e-mail about it. Thankies, Starkiss! And see, I did update just like you said. *nod, nod*

Starkiss: *from faraway* ^_^

YXW: So, anyway…it's finally the chapter you've been waiting for!! ^_^ Presenting…*cough* Sleeping Beauty!! Starring Yugi Mutou as Aurora and Yami Mutou as Prince…er…Prince…

Digimagic: Phillip?

YXW: Right…^^;; And yes, Mika does seem to have, well, a bit of Anzuness on her. But you can't blame the poor girl really…You'll see what I mean. ^^

Disclaimer: *speaking for itself since Yami and Yugi are busy in the changing room* Sadly, Yo Xi Wang does not own Yu-Gi-Oh…but she DOES play a part in altering the animators' minds.

YXW: Yea, how else would you explain the bits of Y/Y fluff scattered throughout the show?!! Bwahahaha!! ^_^ *gets whacked by lawyers* X_x Oww…*sniff* Ok, fine, I didn't do it…I also don't own the Fairly Odd Parents. (If you even notice the quote. ^^;;) By the way, thank you so much Yami Koibito, Yami's-Girl, dark fairy7, Yami Hoshiko, Cherry-San, I love anime HKatherineY 1, Kurama no Miko2003, and Mihiru for putting me on your favorite authors lists!!! ^__^

Arigatou minna for your patience! Now here's chapter 22! *giggles*

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Chapter 22

There was a flash of steel and a body dropped onto the ground. Followed by another, and another until only one person was left standing. Yami's lips curled into a smirk as he twirled his sword and put it back into its sheath. He stood there amongst the bodies, clad in shiny crimson leather, with a black cape swishing over his bare shoulders.

"Cut! Okay, you've proven you've got the skill. Great job, Yami!" The drama teacher said through a microphone. She was obviously pleased by the wonderful performance this last-minute substitute put on. Unlike Mika, who had been clumsy and choppy in her fighting, Yami's movements were smooth and liquid-like, as if he had been fighting with swords all his life. He also gave off a powerful, valiant, and in her opinion, very princely glow as he stood there, something that Mika would never be able to pull off in her lifetime.

At her words, the "dead" bodies slowly started to rise up with sighs of relief. Most were sweating, due to Yami's skilled swordsmanship, even though the sword was actually harmless.

"Man, that guy's good," one kid whispered to his friend, rubbing the place where Yami had pretended to impale him.

"It's better than having that girl. She can't even lift the sword! No wonder the teacher fired her."

Yami smiled inwardly when he caught some of the comments. He wasn't dedicated to them, but he did occasionally practice fencing and swordplay when he was younger at his private school. (A/N: Like in Revolutionary Girl Utena! ^_^) Back then he had even been at the top of his class and that night his parents had even taken him out to celebrate. His smile suddenly faded to be replaced with a wave of bitterness. It hurt to know that all those happy memories he had of his parents were all merely a false façade. It wouldn't have hurt half as much if they actually genuinely loved him, but unfortunately they didn't.

Yami shook his head quickly, trying to push these bothersome feelings back to the back of his mind. He had a new life now. With Yugi. He constantly reminded himself of this, but he couldn't help some of his past from resurfacing when he hoped to lock them away for good.

"There he is! Oh My God! That was amazing!!" Just as Yami was walking off the stage, he was confronted by a thankfully smaller yet still formidably sized mob of fangirls, who STILL hadn't given up on chasing him. "I just CAN'T believe you're the prince!! It's so…so…perfect!!" They all chirped in unison with starry, far-off looks in their eyes. The crimson-eyed teen sighed heavily, really not feeling in the mood to deal with them, and tried his best to push through them.

"Please…I've got things to do," Yami tried to tell the seemingly deaf sea of fangirls. There were so many of them as well that he couldn't really budge from where he stood, even as strong as he was. He put a head to his forehead, feeling a headache start to form. 'Guess I won't see Yugi for a while…' He thought sadly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I'm home, Grandpa! Yami!" Yugi chirped cheerfully as he entered the Game Shop. He set the bundled costume on the table nearby and went in search of the elderly man, who was in the kitchen peeling potatoes.

"Oh, Yugi, welcome home! Where's Yami?" Sugoroku asked after a quick glance in his grandson's direction. The amethyst-eyed boy blinked a few times before his face fell.

"You mean he's not home yet?"

"Not that I know of…" Sugoroku frowned when he saw the expression that crossed Yugi's face, and couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. It reminded him too much of how Yugi was before…At least until that one special day when he had come home from school with such a radiant smile on his face that he seemed like a totally different person. If only his grandson had been able to make more friends when he was younger… "But cheer up. I'm sure nothing could have happened to him."

"Yeah, you're right," Yugi said, brightening and banishing all doubts from his mind. "I'm just going to go for a walk outside. Be back soon."

"Okay. Be careful."

Yugi nodded absentmindedly as he closed the door. Once he was outside, he just started running, where to, he didn't have a clear idea of. However, it wasn't a desperate run, it was purely leisurely and he actually felt relaxed by the thumping rhythm of his sneakers against the pavement. Running wasn't hard now for him. He had been practicing hard, in hopes of catching up to Yami in the athletic department. It sounded impossible, but he could try.

"Hey you!!" The voice caused Yugi's blood to run cold and a shiver went down his back as unpleasant memories were stirred within him. He turned around to come face to face with a group of three burly high school students who probably failed to graduate at least several times.

One of them, no doubt the one who had called him, spat out the chewed cigar from his mouth and glared down at the tri-color-haired boy with cold, beady eyes. "You did somethin' to Ushio, didn't cha?" Icy sweat started to form as Yugi shook involuntarily just from the sheer anger in his voice.

"I-I don't know what…" he started to say but was grabbed by the front of his shirt and hoisted up so he was face-level with the much larger student.

"_You're da reason why he's babblin' away like an idiot for the past few months, aren't ya?!" He roared practically in the small boy's face. Yugi had to bite his lip as he was attacked by a wave of horribly smelly breath. (A/N: Very first ep of original YGO, this did happen to Usio. ^^)_

"C'mon, boss. Ya really dink this little wimp coulda scratched Ushio?" One of the others asked, looking at Yugi rather doubtfully.

"O'course! Ushio said somethin' 'bout a weird hairdo, didn't he?" The main bully turned his attention back to Yugi. When he received no answer, he merely grinned wider. "Well, now. May I welcome you to the corner of pay and back!"

Yugi barely had time to yelp as he saw a fist come right at his face. '…Yami!'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A wave of pain flashed through Yami's head, causing him to nearly buckle from the shock. Somehow he knew it wasn't because of the forming headache from the annoyingly loud shrieks and squeals. "Let me through!!" He yelled atop the many female voices. A few girls paused in what they were doing, noting the urgency in Yami's voice, but since the majority of them either didn't hear or didn't care, Yami STILL couldn't get out.

All the noises and chatter of the room started to blend together in an eerie fashion, almost as if mocking Yami for not being able to escape from it. And it was wearing the crimson-eyed boy's patience dangerously thin. He was just about to explode when…

"GET OFF OF HIM!! ALL OF YOU!!" The deep voice that was so supremely respected and feared rang throughout the auditorium. All the heads in the room turned toward the doorway, and there stood the school's one and only CEO, the ends of his white jacket billowing menacingly.

"Kaiba…?!" Yami blinked, not believing his eyes. It seemed as if each of the fangirls also were just as surprised, and the multicolored-haired teen wasted no time in taking advantage of their stillness. He quickly pushed through the bodies. "Um…Thanks for that…I guess." He told the brunette awkwardly since he hardly even knew him.

"Whatever. Just go on," Kaiba replied icily. Then, as Yami complied with a grateful nod, he turned back to the auditorium and proceeded to give those girls a looong lecture.

There was only one thought on Yami's mind as he ran for the nearest school exit. 'Yugi…'

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Yugi groaned as he came to, trying to creak open one eye to find out where he was. Pain pricked at his entire body like sharp, burning needles. The searing sensation of it all was almost too much for him, but he struggled to keep from passing out again. His ears ringed uncomfortably, and it almost seemed as if he could hear his own name being called.

"Yugi…Yugi…"

"Mmm?"

"Yugi!!" This time he was sure he heard it. The voice, now holding immense relief, washed around the small boy's head, like soothing music, until he finally had the strength to open his eyes. Everything was blurry, but he was able to make out blond bangs with red and black behind them as well as a pair of deeply concerned ruby-red eyes. His heart leaped with joy.

'Yami!' Slowly, the rest of his senses came back to him, until he could feel the strong arms supporting the top half of his body from underneath. With great effort, Yugi reached up to try and touch that tanned face in front of him, but could only settle for the sleeve of one arm. As he gripped it loosely, he could feel the arms holding him shake slightly.

"I'm sorry, Yugi…" Yami's voice cracked as he fought the hot tears that were threatening to fall. Even though he was relieved that Yugi wasn't unconscious, it still didn't change the fact that the pale boy was covered with bruises. "I promised I would protect you…"

Yugi tried to shake his head, but couldn't pull it off in the weakened state he was in. But he did manage to form words in a low whisper. "It's…okay…It wasn't your fault…"

"But you got beaten up…again! By one of those bullies again, no doubt…"

"No, it's fine…really…" Yugi's breath came out in small, short pants, but slowly he was able to speak with more energy. "A-and guess what?" He whispered with a slight smile. The glazed look over those tender amethyst orbs were almost too much for Yami to look straight into, but he held his gaze.

"What?"

"I…kicked one of that bully's partners…" He said, still smiling. "They were all really surprised…so they stopped picking on me…S-see? I'm getting…stronger…Because of you…" Yami found that he couldn't look into Yugi's eyes any longer. Those beautiful eyes were shining with such gratefulness and a slight pride that their owner had finally stood up for himself…It was breathtaking, really, even amidst all the pain Yugi must have been going through at that moment.

"Really? That's…great," Yami replied with a small smile of his own, carefully avoiding that heart-stopping gaze. "But save your strength now. We need to get you some help." The taller boy carefully eased the rest of Yugi's body into his arms and stood up, being very careful not to put pressure on the small one's wounds.

"Mmm…" Yugi replied, never letting go of Yami's sleeve. He tightened his grip on it, snuggling into Yami's arms and resting his head lightly on the well muscled chest. That warm, light-headed feeling consumed him once again, which seemed to dull all the previous pain he was in. With a sigh, his eyes finally drifted shut again from exhaustion.

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Nighttime finally came, and Yugi had gone to sleep early. Thankfully, when Yami had brought him home and examined the wounds, they weren't as serious as he had thought. Nothing had been broken or even sprained. Still, it pained him to no end to see the boy's tender skin covered with black and blue marks.

"Yugi…I'm sorry. I should've been there," Yami whispered quietly, more to himself since he knew the other was in a deep sleep. He carefully buttoned back up Yugi's pajama top after he had finished checking on the wounds and prepared to leave. Then, thinking better of it, he leaned back down and planted a fond kiss on the small boy's soft, unbruised cheek.

Yugi stirred a little, but didn't wake up, unconsciously rolling his head over in his pillow to a more comfortable position. Yami couldn't help but notice the streaks of moonlight that illuminated the boy, reflecting off the soft blond bangs, tracing over the facial features and closed, peaceful-looking eyes. He found his eyes landing on those supple lips which they had gazed at before countless times and he had even tasted, but he kept his self-control in check. He really loved times like these when he could just look at the one he loved, without having to need any reason or whatnot. Recently Yugi's grandpa had been popping up unexpectedly at times, so Yami and Yugi seldom had much time alone. And even so, how would Yami explain why he was gazing at the violet-eyed boy so tenderly without sounding majorly sappy? (A/N: ^^ Try and answer that!)

That moment couldn't last, though. With a sigh, Yami knew he had to be getting to bed as well for they had school tomorrow and no doubt Yugi would insist on going even with his wounds. Quietly, Yami closed the door and went into his own room, snuggling under the sheets. He lied there, with his hands propped behind him, just looking out the window at the stars. The previous joy and tenderness was quickly being eaten up by guilt again. 'If I hadn't been so busy with the play, I could've stopped those bullies…What was I thinking? I don't deserve to be Yugi's prince. I really don't…'

Slowly he began to fall asleep, but not before he made up his mind about what he had to do the next day.

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The moon was up at its highest point when the front door creaked open. Slipping through the darkness, Ryou made his way to his backyard and gently laid the ladder that was tucked under his arm against the wall of his house. Carefully he climbed up and took a seat on the roof, drawing his knees together and just looking up into the twinkling stars.

"What do you think you're doing up so late?" The voice startled the chocolate-eyed boy even though he immediately knew who it was. He heard a soft thump as Bakura, now in a solid form using the magic from the ring sat down beside him.

"Just looking at the stars," he murmured back rather dazedly. "They help me think."

The figure beside him snorted. "Well, that's something I never would've expected." The response was sarcastic, but it seemed to hold some truth to it.

Ryou suddenly snapped out of his contemplation and turned his head confusingly toward the other. "You…can become solid?"

"No really? I was like this the first time you met me. I swear you humans really do have short-term memory." Ryou couldn't find anything to say to this, and turned his head back up rather sheepishly. There was just a few moments of silence between them as both kept their eyes skyward, staring into the blackness.

"Bakura…you must have been a human once too…right?"

"I don't like talking about it."

"Oh…"

Once again that silence took over. It was beginning to make Ryou feel a bit nervous. He could've sworn, as he stared up at the stars, that Bakura's eyes were on him, as if studying him or something. At times, at least, but he couldn't be sure. 'It's like I'm being scrutinized…Maybe he's mad? I didn't do anything though. And it's not as if he would care what I do anyway…" It suddenly struck him as to why Bakura was even out here when he could've been doing all sorts of other things in his soul room or taking over his body and causing havoc or something of the like. "Um…why did you come up here with me? I know you could be doing a bunch of other things," he asked, turning to face his dark half.

Bakura blinked a few times, finding himself looking into chocolate-brown eyes when Ryou fully turned towards him, and fought that strange warmth that was beginning to creep into his cheeks. As casually as he could, he looked away out at the dark trees and shrugged. "Just curious, I suppose. As for the other things, been there, done that."

The gentler of the two smiled a bit, turning back to the stars. "You know, you're kind of like Malik."

Immediately Bakura found himself flaring internally at the mere mentioning of that name. "Please. Don't compare me to that half-brained mongoose. We have _nothing in common." He all but snarled._

Ryou had to fight a giggle. "Suuure. Well, whatever you say, he's still a nice guy."

"Tch. What are you, in love or something?" Even though he tried to keep impassive, Bakura found himself really a tad bit curious for an answer.

The shorter boy blushed cutely, as if really thinking about it. Even though Malik was reaaaally nice, he didn't really think of him in that way. It didn't bother him as it would normal people that he would be interested in guys. 'I'm not even sure myself. But I think I do have an idea…'

The other's silence and thoughtfulness surprised Bakura. It stung…for some reason, and it made him despise the sandy-haired teen even more. He muttered a string of curses under his breath and tried his best to let his anger seep out, but his foul mood still returned. Deciding he had wasted enough time out here, he began to concentrate on returning to the ring.

Ryou's voice broke into his thoughts, though. "You're leaving?" It sounded so…lonely.

The spirit hesitated for a few seconds, but then fully came back into his solid state. "…No," he responded simply, earning a bright smile from the other.

Together, Ryou and Bakura sat there watching the stars late into the night.

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"What?!! You're giving up your role as prince?!" The drama teacher nearly fell out of her seat when Yami broke the news to her.

"Yes. I'm very sorry, Ms. Kimochi. But the role of prince…" He looked down at the floor. "…is not suitable for me. Don't worry. I've worked it out with Kaiba."

The drama teacher finally got enough of her senses back to think straight. Adjusting her glasses, she gave the crimson-eyed boy a surprisingly level stare. "Very well. I won't question your motives. Just next time, don't almost give me a heart attack, okay? Taking up a part one day and relinquishing it the next."

"I won't," Yami smiled, almost sheepishly. 'I didn't expect it myself. But this is for the best…' For once, he was glad he hadn't told Yugi yesterday about the unexpected change of roles. Now he and Mika, or someone else, would be able to switch back with little or no hassle. He hadn't really been prepared for the part anyway…

Ms. Kimochi laughed a bit and patted Yami fondly on the shoulder. "Next year, Yami, you'll definitely be able to participate." And with that, she dismissed him from her office.

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Yugi and Yami were walking home from school, side by side, as they usually did. Well, at least Yami was. The smaller of the two kept on skipping and hopping excitedly alongside his companion despite his injuries. Some were noticeable and a few of their classmates and teachers had even asked about them, but Yugi insisted that he was fine. It was true too, for he was still one big bouncy bundle of energy.

"The pla-ay's tomorrow! The pla-ay's tomorrow!" He sang happily, earning a few sweatdrops from Yami. 

The taller boy couldn't help but chuckle though. Indeed the next day was going to be a big one. The school's festival was going to last all day, with each of the different classes performing their special activity. Yugi and Yami's class was close to the end, but he had always liked night performances better. There would be breaks in between and refreshment stands all around and, of course, what both teens found most interesting, game stands in which visitors could win souvenirs. But they were nice and usually rigged so that each person would get at least one prize. (A/N: I'm not sure, but I think events of schools in Japan go on during the day instead of just a few hours at night like concerts at my school. -_-;; Personally I like the Japanese way better. ^^)

"But you know, I'm still kind of nervous about the whole kissing scene. I don't really _want_ to kiss that girl…" Yugi frowned slightly, just from picturing it.

Yami sighed softly, but luckily the other didn't notice it. "It'll be all right. Just close your eyes and it'll soon be over with."

"Yeah…wow, it almost sounds like I'm getting a shot or something." The small boy giggled, then suddenly another image of Yami taking Mika's place popped into his mind and he unknowingly spoke this thoughts out loud. "Though it'd be nicer if you were the prince…"

"No…it wouldn't…" Yami mumbled just as unaware of his actions as well, looking up at the sky with guilty eyes. The flashbacks of when he found the injured boy yesterday were hammering into his mind with no mercy.

Yugi snapped out of his brief daze and noted the haze that clouded the other's normally clear, sharp eyes. He hadn't quite heard those soft words and he blinked a few times. "Um…sorry. What did you say?"

"Huh? Oh…nothing…Nothing at all…"

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The day of the play finally arrived. As expected, the festival was a big success in attracting customers and almost all parents and relatives came for the sake of seeing their children perform. Ryou's mother, however, was one of the few who couldn't make it because of an urgent meeting, and so she had no choice but to drop her son off. 

Yugi and Yami, though, were having a great time while they waited for their turn, which was yet to come, and dragged around the aged owner of the Game Shop, who was nearly having heart attacks from all the new inventions and improvements in gaming he was discovering there. It was amazing, or maybe just pure luck, that the two past Egyptians didn't collide, especially with Bakura out in spirit form even though Malik wasn't around for once.

One by one, the other classes performed their special contribution to the festival. An hour before it was their turn to perform, the drama students of Ms. Kimochi's class gathered backstage to get ready and change into their costumes. Yugi had to come alone, though, since people who weren't in the play weren't allowed backstage.

Ms. Kimochi and Ms. Rico were especially busy helping around with everybody and making sure their costumes looked okay, so it wasn't until it was almost time to go on when the drama teacher finally had the chance to notice that something wasn't quite right. "Where's Mika?" She asked, with a note of panic in her voice.

No one answered, for they were too busy reviewing their lines once again. Ms. Kimochi only grew even more worried. If the actress wasn't there, then the costume wouldn't be there either. She looked around almost frantically, eyes finally falling on a box in the corner which held the costume customly made for Yami at the last minute. But he already declined doing it.

Yugi was growing a bit worried himself as he allowed the makeup crew to put a few last finishing touches on him. He refused to let them work with his face, but they were convinced already anyway that the boy's face was soft and sweet enough to fit a princess's. (A/N: *nod, nod*) He stood in front of a mirror to take one final look at himself. Indeed his dress was fixed up since the last time he had checked. It was more plain, yet still fashionable, and a beautiful sparkling blue which seemed to blend with the purplish hues of his eyes. He blushed a little when he saw that his hair was all covered by the blond wig on his head save for a few of his already blond bangs peeking out. It didn't look too weird, though. Hopefully no one would be able to see that it was really him underneath that costume.

By now, Ms. Kimochi was practically pulling her hair out. 'What should I do?! We can't have a play about Sleeping Beauty without a prince!!'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Unbeknownst to anyone, however, the girl who was supposed to act a part really did come. But she was just hiding in the shadows, not really wanting to show up. That day when Yami had suddenly ran off, she had followed him, and had seen…everything. She knew that the moment she saw the two spiky-haired boys share was no ordinary one between friends. It made her heart twist, realizing Yugi was already taken, but she knew better than to interfere with true love. And she could tell that the two boys really did love each other. Maybe they hadn't both admitted it yet, but the feelings definitely were there. Their actions and eyes practically gave everything away even to people with only half a brain. (A/N: Thus Anzu has less than half a brain, see? ^^)

Mika sighed. As much as she wanted to snatch the amethyst-eyed boy for herself, she knew she didn't stand a chance. She was also beginning to understand Yugi's discomfort whenever they practiced. Who could blame him? After a long night of thinking, the girl finally decided to do something different for a change. She wanted to help, maybe in a way even repent for the selfish and just plain childish way she had acted when she first received news of Yami replacing her.

And so, she was here, hiding, in hopes of someone dragging Yami to play the prince instead since she couldn't be found. But it wasn't working.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Ms. Kimochi! We were supposed to start ten minutes ago! The people are getting restless!" One of the crew members announced into the chaotic makeup room. "What's _taking_ so long???"

The drama teacher let out an exasperated sigh. She had searched and searched, but just couldn't find a suitable prince. She figured something had probably turned up for Mika at the last minute, but then what could she do? "Fine. Let's just begin," she told the director. "The prince doesn't come in until later. We'll have some time."

And so, the play began.

(A/N: Just skip if you know the story of SB. For those of you who don't, a king and a queen have a daughter whose blessed with all these great gifts from three fairies such as beauty and a beautiful voice. But then the witch appears, who was so angry that she wasn't invited to this birth celebration as well that she cast a curse on the princess saying that when she's sixteen, she'll prick her finger on a spindle and die. However, the third fairy softens this curse by saying she'll simply fall asleep, with the only way to awaken being true love's first kiss. Okay, I don't want to keep rambling. So, in short, the princess grows up and stuff and somehow the witch's curse does come true and she falls into a deep sleep. Then the prince comes, fights his way into the castle where the princess sleeps, and kisses her! ^^ She awakens and they get married and live happily ever after. There was also a dancing scene in the Disney version where the prince and princess meet in the forest unaware of each other's true identities and they fall in love, but that can't be in here obviously because there's no prince…yet. ^^

Sorry for the long ramble. Please continue.) 

The first scenes passed by without incident. Ryou played his relatively short part as one of the king's advisors in some of them and afterwards quickly excused himself to the bathroom. He knew Yami was there, and didn't particularly want Bakura to go around wrecking that which his classmates had worked so hard to put together. Though the spirit of the ring didn't seem interested recently in what he used to love. He often just had a thoughtful look which he tried to hide using annoyance, but Ryou could still see through it. He wondered what had brought on this change, but now wasn't the proper time to contemplate.

Finally it was Yugi's turn to come onto the stage. He ducked his head a bit when there were a few gasps from the crowd, thinking that they saw through his wig, but it was really because they were surprised at how this play had such an adorable-looking princess. Sugoroku beamed proudly and Yami just simply smiled and winked from the front row, causing Yugi to blush slightly.

All the while Mika watched impatiently from the edge of the stage, looking from Yami back to the scene and biting her lip, unsure of what to do. Maybe they had found another prince already? Her doubts were settled, though, when she noticed that the entire forest scene where "Aurora" and "Phillip" were supposed to meet was entirely cut out, but her pulse increased by a few notches. 'Looks like I'll have to take things into my own hands.'

She had a problem, though, for she couldn't reveal herself otherwise Yami would make her perform. Just then she found a miracle, a miracle in the form of a certain blonde. Jounouchi was walking down the aisle right in front of her with a few bags of popcorn in his arms.

"Psst!" She whispered as loud as she could without interrupting the people on stage. Jounouchi stopped and blinked into the shadows.

"Wha?"

"Go tell Yami to come backstage. Ms. Kimochi wants to see him," Mika was careful to change her tone of voice so it was impossible to tell if it was a male or female speaking. When the other teen hesitated, she nearly hissed. "_Just do it!!_"

Jounouchi obeyed, thankfully not questioning too much. Yami was rather confused by the sudden request, but he was too dignified to disrespect a teacher. He and Jou walked together to the back to find Ms. Kimochi pacing around in circles. Yami didn't even get to say anything when she suddenly spotted him and rushed over.

"Yami! Thank goodness! I know you said you don't want to, but we're really in a predicament here! Mika didn't show up and we have no one to play the prince!! We already had to skip an important scene!" It took a while for the crimson-eyed teen to absorb this information, but when he did, he couldn't come up with an answer exactly.

"I…I don't know…"

"Aww, c'mon, Yami! Playing the prince'll be fun!!" Jounouchi tried to encourage him.

"That's not the point…I just can't…" Yami found himself falling back into that state of constantly debating different sides of his conscience, one side telling him to go for it while the other was reminding him of how he had failed Yugi.

"Why not?! I mean, Yugi's the princess, y'know…"

"That's the reason why…" 

The blonde blinked. "Um…I don't think I follow you…"

Yami let out a sigh before looking into Jounouchi's honey colored eyes with his own soft, sad ones. "I don't deserve him, Jou. I couldn't protect him when he needed me. I'm not worthy of being called a 'prince.'" This statement had the blonde so taken aback that he couldn't speak for a moment.

At some point, the drama teacher got completely lost on what they were talking about and just went back to pacing and panicking, which was a good thing for the two teens. Finally Jou got over his surprise.

"What are you talking about?? This is a _play_. It's not supposed to be like the real world. That shouldn't be what's holding you back. I mean, the point of an activity like this is to just go out and enjoy yourself! What it looks like you're shying away from is not the duties of a prince but those of a friend/possible well…you know. Haven't you ever thought about how happy Yugi would be if you were the prince??!" Now it was Yami's turn to be at a loss for words.

"But I…"

"C'mon, Yami! Stop being so stubborn! Do it for Yugi's sake at least!" Yami perked up a bit at these words as the indecision in his eyes cleared up and was replaced by a new determination. He had to stop being so serious at times. Jou was right. A play was something to have fun in.

"Thanks, Jou," he told the blonde with a bright smile. "I think I will."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was amazing how fast Yami slipped into his costume and got prepared with everything. He had barely made a close shave, and had to immediately perform as soon as he was done fitting his wild mass of hair into the prince's large hat. Everything went as planned, the other actors also relieved they had found someone, and even better they had found Yami instead of Mika. He certainly put on a much better show.

Anzu, watching off from the side since her part as one of the dancing sprites in the forest scene was completely removed, nearly dropped her jaw to the ground when she saw Yami appear his custom princely uniform. She stood up and wanted to scream as she watched in utter disbelief as Yami slowly approached the "princess's" bedside after slaying the witch. But she couldn't move or make a sound, and just stood there goggling at the sight.

Yugi cringed a bit when he heard the soft padding of the princely boots on the steps to reach the bed prop in which he lied, still unaware that Mika had been replaced due to the fact that Yami was silent the whole time. (A/N: This is true in the Disney version. The only time Phillip talked was in the forest scene, I think. O.o) He heard Yami's words of advice to him echoing in his head. _"Just close your eyes and it'll soon be over with."_ His heart was beating rapidly though he didn't know why, but he kept his eyes squeezed tightly shut.

Yami, as he paused for a few moments to simply stare at the sleeping beauty before him, also felt his heart race a little faster. The younger boy's face was so tender-looking, especially with the soft flush that colored his cheeks and the cute way in which he was bracing himself, which Yami found quite amusing.

There was pure silence as Yami slowly lowered his lips to Yugi's. Everyone except for those who knew the real identities of the "prince" and "princess," including Sugoroku whose eyes were nearly popping out of their sockets, held their breath. Finally the two mouths met in a sweet, firm, chaste kiss.

Yugi was surprised, to say the least, when he felt a pleasant warmth engulf his lips and seemingly spreading everywhere. It felt so…so…good that he was alarmed and ashamed of himself for even enjoying the kiss of anyone else aside from Yami. Still, it was hard to believe this surge of completeness that swept through him was caused by the girl with literally the dirtiest mouth at school. The thought bothered him so much that he opened his eyes only to meet an unexpected pair of crimson. Apparently they had both opened their eyes at the same time. Yugi attempted to let out a squeak, but it was muffled due to the fact that Yami's mouth was still over his.

Yami finally pulled back into a sitting position on the side of the bed and the two of them just gazed at each other. Both were a lovely shade of pink, but especially Yugi, who was still recovering from joyful surprise. But just looking into the other's ruby red eyes, all of his senses seemed to melt away again and he couldn't help himself from flinging upright straight into Yami's welcoming arms, interlocking their lips together once again without hesitation. The taller boy, as if expecting that, immediately snaked his arms around Yugi and held him as close as humanly possible. Oh, how they had both enjoyed and missed that feeling as they drowned in the sensation of it all.

Neither boy was aware of the humongous uproar of applause and cheers and even a few whistles. Nor were they worried about poor, traumatized Sugoroku who nearly had a heart attack or Anzu who had fainted or the rest of their classmates or teachers who stood there frozen. Nothing seemed to matter to them at that one perfect moment, when nothing else existed except for each other.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Digimagic: *prances around* Yay! Yay! They kissed! They kissed! AGAIN!! ^____^

Difinity: ^_____^

Starkiss: *from faraway* ^_____^

SC: ~^_____^~

^________^ Well, there you go. The play has finally come. Slight cliffie, though, I think. ^^;; I really didn't plan on putting in a bit of sadness, honest I didn't!! O_O It just happened!! I was reading through my old chapters and I think I got depressed or something…Holy Ra, I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written! @__@ And I apologize once again for my _very late upload. -___- And probably for my future Internet neglect. I have too much HW!! ;__; AP Euro due Monday. 250 pages of…of…__history!! X__x Help…me…_

But anyway…Hope you enjoyed! Please r/r!


	23. Chapter 23: Realization

First of all, THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO IS READING THIS! You haven't given up on my fic and I can't thank you enough! I'm speechless at the amount of reviews too, but more so by the fact that some people actually bother to check back, even recently!

I'm sorry, I will not lie. As you probably could have guessed, I stopped writing because I fell out of love with Yu-Gi-Oh. I couldn't bring myself to type about something I don't feel passionate about anymore. I had half of this chapter written and never finished because of writer's block. I still think Y/Y is cute, but it no longer consumes my life as it once did. I can't believe it's taken a year and a half for me to decide to inform people of my whereabouts. V.V And I know I can never make it up, but I'll try my best.

I feel horrible that I made so many people wait such a long time. It's even worse that this fic is nearly finished, so for the sake of Y/Y and all the great people I've met during my experience as an authoress, I promise I'll finish this fic. I'm sorry if I rushed it a bit, but maybe it's best since I reread this entire story and realized it got a bit drawn out. I'm so sorry I haven't been online! By the way, my real Screen Name is CoolieYami, not coolyami. Some anti-yaoi friends nearly found out my identity as a shounen-ai writer, so I had to change it. I'm sorry if you haven't been able to contact me! My e-mail's back up, though (look in my profile because is being a pain) if you just want to come and yell at me.

I'm sorry, but from now on, I'll be alone here in the A/N corner. I haven't talked to the people who have joined me in the past here in such a long time that I'd just feel horrible acting strange and silly as I used to. Especially if they've also fallen out of love with YGO.

As for my other fic, Frozen Flames, I reread it recently and I really like it the idea, so I'm going to continue and finish it as well. I've already typed 3 pages for that, so I'll try to update it soon too. My site is going to be frozen, though, but it was rather small in the first place.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! It wouldn't have had such a sad ending if I did!

Warning: This fic is SHOUNEN-AI aka boy/boy fluff! This would actually be considered a big chapter, then, for Y/Y and B/R...xD Oh, and watch out for Anzu bashing and maybe some S/J.

"..." is speaking

'...' is thinking

/.../ is Ryou to Bakura

/.../ is Bakura to Ryou

Oh, and I'm really sorry if my writing skills have deteriorated. V.V Sure I'm older, but that doesn't mean I'm better. My style has changed, I know, so please let me know if this chapter is still an acceptable continuation. has changed a LOT! I can't include any of those asterisks or carots or anything I used to use! Is there a way to get around it? For now, I'll have to use new barriers and new faces...

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

Chapter 23

Yugi's thoughts drifted in bits and pieces, in and out of his mind. Lingering traces of pleasant surprise were still swirling in his mind, which only amplified that warm, overwhelming, light-headed feeling he always and only associated with Yami. He was now more sure of anything than ever before.

This was the third, no, his fourth kiss he had shared with Yami (and was still sharing at the moment). The impact of the first had been muddled by its unexpectedness, the second by desperation, the third by the unknown, but this fourth was pure, fully intentional, without surprises or other factors. Finally, Yugi was able to meet Yami's lips without worrying about anything else, and as a result, his mind was finally clear enough to comprehend the rush of emotion that swelled within him every time he and Yami kissed. It had always been there, but the young boy's mind had always been distracted by other thoughts. But not this time.

Among the mass of jumbled emotions he felt, Yugi's mind was clear on one fact—that he loved Yami more than if not as much as the other loved him. It was such a potent sensation, beyond anything words could describe, and he thought back to Yami's confession to him while in the hospital in awe. How the crimson-eyed boy was able to express his feelings, Yugi didn't know. At that moment, he wanted more than anything to let Yami know of his feelings verbally, but his mouth refused to work. Instead, he could only hold on even more tightly to the other.

Yami was in a similar state, so overpowered by the intensity of the kiss and his mind so preoccupied with only one person that nothing else seemed to matter. He had feared before he bent down to kiss the "princess" that he was tricking Yugi and really wished he could have told the other of the change in role. The smaller boy might not have let him kiss him under any other circumstances, and Yami felt a bit guilty for taking advantage of the play and of Yugi. After all, he knew the violet-eyed boy was already struggling as it was to sort out his emotions; Yami felt he had no right to kiss him unless Yugi wholly returned his own feelings.

All guilt vanished, though, when Yugi awoke and leapt into the taller boy's arms as if his savior had indeed come for him. Yami's heart leaped, for he too realized the significance of this fourth meeting of the lips. Yugi had done so—willingly—without a reason other than because he _wanted_ to, and that was enough to turn even Yami into a mass of uncharacteristic giddiness.

They broke apart, both breathless from the overwhelming sensation of their first pure, intended, and unhindered kiss. Yugi was shaking slightly from the intensity of his realization and the ecstasy of finally being able to answer Yami's feelings. As he was trying to compose himself enough to speak, he could feel a warm hand come up to smooth his back, attempting to ease his shivering.

It took a few more minutes for them to regain their senses.

When they had awakened from their daze, they finally registered the roar of the crowd, which had been going on for at least fifteen minutes since the climatic end of the play. Those fangirls who didn't faint from the cuteness of it all or from broken hearts were still squealing. Both boys turned absolutely crimson and broke apart hastily, trying their best to keep their faces hidden from the crowd.

"S-Sleeping Beauty...awoke..." A stunned Ms. Kimochi barely managed to finish the last lines of narration. "And...they lived h-happily ever after." Good thing most people were too caught up in the noise of the room to care about the sloppiness of the ending, including the fact that the cast oddly didn't line up to take a bow before the curtains were drawn.

The "prince" and "princess" remained where they were, neither having the strength yet to move. Both pairs of eyes were glued to the ground as each tried to gather their thoughts into words. Normally, Yami would have broken the silence, but his mind was preoccupied; it kept replaying the look on Yugi's face as the smaller boy lunged into his arms, violet eyes sparkling with incredible happiness.

Perhaps it was a better idea if they had moved.

"YUGI! YAMI!" Both boys cringed at the angry tone in Sugoroku's voice as the old man approached them as fast as his short, stubby legs would carry him. He still hadn't fully recovered from the trauma, so he stumbled here and there, but his clumsiness only seemed to add to his rage. "I sure HOPE that you two were just taking acting to the next level! What in the name of Ra was...was..." he sputtered as he recalled both kisses, especially the second one, vividly. "Well, in any case, I don't approve! I thought you two knew better! Have I raised my own grandson wrong!"

As Sugoroku carried on in expressing his disapproval, Yugi's face slowly lost its glow and started to contort, as if he was trying to hold back tears and shock at his grandpa's unfair outrage. He couldn't believe it. Of all people, he would have thought his grandpa would be one of the first to accept the relationship between him and Yami. Not only was it because Sugoroku was one of his closest relatives, but because the man had always appeared so mellow and open-minded. Yet here he was, shattering Yugi's previous image of him.

"And furthermore—"

Yugi couldn't take it anymore. He got up and rushed down the stage stairs as fast as he could, with nowhere particularly in mind except a place where he could no longer hear his grandpa's piercing words.

"Yugi!" Yami exclaimed, startled but not completely surprised. He knew that he and Yugi would face difficulties and disapproval from many people, but he hadn't expected it to be so soon, nor had he expected it to be from Sugoroku of all people. An angry frustration built within him, more because of Yugi's reaction than Sugoroku's opinion. Yami could care less what other people thought of his and Yugi's relationship. But seeing Yugi upset for whatever the reason was something he could not bear. Still, he couldn't bring himself to lash out at the old man (Sugoroku had taken him in as another grandson, after all). "Mr. Mutou," he turned, bowing as politely as he could to the elderly man. "I understand your opinion, but if you will let me, I promise I'll take good care of him. Excuse me." He then ran off after Yugi.

Sugoroku was left powerless to say anything to that. The sincerity in those ruby red orbs struck a chord deep within him. He hadn't seen such eyes since...since Yugi's father had solemnly asked for his approval of him and Yugi's mother (Sugoroku's daughter). (1)

He was so caught up in nostalgia that he didn't even bother to look when he heard footsteps behind him until he felt eyes piercing into his back. The elderly man turned to find Jounouchi towering over him, his blonde bangs in his eyes. Apparently, the boy had heard everything even from a distance, for Sugoroku had shouted quite loudly. "Sorry in advance, Mr. Mutou..." That was the only warning before Jounouchi landed one of his reserved-only-for-Kaiba punches on the jaw of the old man, sending his target to the ground in a whirl of surprise.

Sugoroku would have protested, but he was still too much in his haze of shock and confusion to do anything but goggle at his attacker.

"Think about your grandson, why don'tcha?" Jounouchi spat, almost shaking with anger. It wasn't just that he had long ago accepted and encouraged Yugi and Yami's relationship, but he also had expected more out of the eccentric but honest owner of the Game Shop. He had always had a good impression of Sugoroku, especially from all the times Yugi talked about his grandfather with such a sparkle in his eyes, yet here the old man was being so uncharacteristically narrow-minded.

Normally, Sugoroku would've retorted that he was doing this for his grandson's benefit, but he quickly shut his mouth upon meeting Jounouchi's eyes. Those usually bright and clear honey-colored orbs were now clouded, swirling with contempt and fury. If he hadn't been in such a state, he would have praised Yugi for making such a good friend.

The moment was ruined by a pair of unusually clumsy clicking heels as Anzu scrambled onto the stage as well and proceeded to voice her opinion despite the fact that no one cared. It had taken her longer than most to recover from the shock, and it took quite a lot of self-inflicted pain to bring her back to her senses. Her hair was now a completely mess, with pieces torn out in agony and frustration by her own hands, and her face was distorted with a delirious look that had already scared many people off. It was a wonder she was still standing after the total and humiliating reality struck her—the fact that she now would never claim Yami for herself.

"Sugoroku-san, are you all right?" she squealed with a sickeningly sweet falseness, one she used on almost all adults. Sugoroku would have backed away from that deranged, mad-eyed face if his mind wasn't spinning with so many thoughts. Anzu then turned to Jounouchi. "For Yugi's sake?" She sneered, in a way that eerily resembled a hyena. "Ha, don't make me laugh! You only said that because you lean the same way too!"

"W-What are you talking about?" The blonde's slight stutter wasn't lost on the brunette.

"Oh don't try to deny it! I've seen you with Kaiba, the way you two FLIRT with fights!" Her grin widened as Jounouchi visibly paled. It hadn't been the reason he had defended Yugi at all, but he was definitely caught off guard by Anzu's creepy perceptiveness.

Meanwhile, in the shadows, a certain CEO scowled as he experienced a rare lapse in his usual calm composure. Not many things made him openly expressive of disgust. Jounouchi's pale face only added to his increasing hatred toward the bumbling cheerleader. He made a mental note to make Anzu Masaki _pay_.

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

Ryou sighed as he entered his house. It had been quite an eventful day, and that was an understatement. After he had played out his small role during the performance, he had gone to the bathroom to check on Bakura, who thankfully, didn't seem to be aware of his surroundings. In fact, he seemed to be so particularly closed off today that Ryou could barely sense he was even in the ring. He knew better than to bother the spirit when it wasn't necessary, though, so Ryou had left him alone. Deciding to take his chances, he went back to the auditorium to watch the rest of the play from the doorway.

He was only mildly surprised to see Yami as the prince. Somehow, seeing the two spiky-haired boys together felt right, and Ryou gently smiled at the touching scene. He wasn't particularly close to Yugi or Yami, but he could feel their happiness in that magical moment. Anyone could. And he was sincerely glad for those two.

One thing that bothered him, though, was the unexplainable vision that suddenly popped into his head upon seeing the kiss. Instead of tri-colored-hair, he had seen white for an instant, and his eyes widened considerably when he realized he had imagined Bakura and himself in Yami and Yugi's place. Warmth immediately spread across his pale cheeks as he turned and started heading home as quickly as he could. It took the entire trip to convince himself that it was merely because his two classmates happened to look very similar to each other, just like him and Bakura.

'What's wrong with me?' He thought, as he poured himself a drink. A note on the table told him that his mom would be gone for the night on some urgent business, but he didn't particularly mind. He actually enjoyed the silence.

As he started on his homework, his thoughts strayed once again to his dark half. Usually Bakura would be dying to get out for exercise by now, or would at least make a snide remark about Ryou's pile of paperwork or some other aspect of his life. Ryou inwardly marked the afternoons after school as "Bakura Time," silly as it sounded, for he did learn a lot from the unintentional words of the Tomb Robber. The taller teen managed to make a mockery of almost everything "pathetic humans" needed to have in order to survive, and his often quite clever remarks always got Ryou to start thinking about life in new ways.

However, today, there was no response from the Millennium Ring. Disappointed and concerned, Ryou finally decided to check up on the moody spirit. Or as close to it as he could. In a flash, he entered his own soul room, opened the door, and peeked across the corridor. The dark door on the other side loomed ominously, but he could heard sounds faintly within, the sound of footsteps.

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

Bakura couldn't stop pacing around in his own soul room. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, and he was agitated beyond belief. Ever since..._that_ night he had spent watching the starts with Ryou, his mind had refused to let him rest. He knew he owed himself many, many self-berating sessions for his recent uncharacteristic actions, and they finally caught up to him.

Why the heck had he spent an entire night doing something as POINTLESS as looking at little twinkling gas balls! By entire night, he meant the _entire_ night. He had embarrassingly enough lost track of time (and why was that? He NEVER lost track of time!) and only came to his senses when he heard soft snores from his counterpart. Ryou had fallen asleep! And what was more, the small boy had somehow during the course of the night placed his head on Bakura's shoulder, without the latter even noticing!

'Me, the great Tomb Robber of Ancient Egypt, reduced to a PILLOW?' He remembered thinking, but he couldn't bring himself to wake the slumbering boy. Something about the peaceful, almost content look on the other's face stopped Bakura from doing anything he normally would've done. Instead of shaking the other off or returning to the ring, Bakura simply grumbled and stayed still until he finally started feeling drowsy himself. Then, when he couldn't hold sleep off any longer, he tried to wake his light, but the other was in such a deep sleep that no amount of shaking would have wakened him. Seeing no other choice available, Bakura carefully picked up Ryou and carried him to bed.

And now his conscience was biting his head off for it. 'Who said you had to do that? You could have—you _should_ have left him on the roof! It's his fault for falling asleep there in the first place!' His mind screamed at him, at least the part of his mind that still clung closely to his old ways and instincts as the coarse, evil spirit he used to—no, he still was. Wasn't he! Bakura howled, frustrated and utterly confused at what had become of him. He had always managed to find justification for all his actions. Even the uncharacteristic sympathy and comfort he had given to the grief-stricken Ryou regarding the young boy's grandfather had had a _reason_. He didn't want a broken body as a host, or at least that was what he told himself. In reality, he had cared more about the small boy's spirit, although a broken soul wouldn't have harmed his own. It probably would've been better, for such a soul would have been completely obedient, but...

And now, he was reduced to doing pointless activities such as star gazing, activities lumped under the category of "human pleasure and enjoyment," which Bakura would have scoffed at and ridiculed only a few weeks ago. And it hadn't taken much for him to stay and watch the stars, either, just a few words and a pleading face. (A/N: Wow, Bakura really doesn't know the meaning of "Love makes people do crazy things." Well, to him, stargazing would be considered crazy. ;;) 'Why? Why! WHY!'

"Bakura? Are...Are you all right?" Bakura froze as he saw his soul room door crack open a bit and a chocolate-brown eye peer inside with concern. Apparently his frustrations and mental shouts hadn't been completely muffled by the walls of his soul room, and it had been disturbing enough for Ryou to gather enough courage to step into his dark half's room uninvited.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Bakura roared, almost delirious. He had worked himself into a frenzy, and seeing Ryou, the supposed cause of his new, strange behavior, only made his mind even more clouded. "Get out!"

Ryou looked hurt for a brief instant, but he saw that his dark half truly was having some mental issue, and he rushed forward despite the other's warnings. Before, he would have obeyed Bakura without question, but now, especially after the slow but steady improvement in their relationship, Ryou found his concern surpassing all other feelings. He grasped Bakura's shoulders as the other had once done to him, but simply held him in place instead of shaking him. Standing on tiptoe, he looked right into Bakura's eyes. "What's wrong? Please tell me."

"Why?" The Tomb Robber was still quite worked up and, never one for subtlety, he immediately cut to the chase, his pride and image forgotten. "Why are you checking up on me? Why are you bothering! Why are you trying to help me! WHY!" He demanded, eyes bewildered. "Is this payback for that time I helped you!"

"...No, that has nothing to do with this," Ryou replied quietly. He paused for a few seconds as he tried to gather his thoughts into words as best as he could. "I...I can't explain it, but...I care. Because you're a part of me, and not in the physical sense that we're linked by the Millennium Ring. I just...feel a connection between us."

Bakure froze upon hearing those words. If he could speak, he would have admitted that he felt a connection too. One that scared him to no end. One that caused him to feel such strange and foreign sensations, now more often than ever, even from the sight of Ryou. He was feeling it now, actually, and he could feel his face burning, but he was shocked to find that his expression was mirrored by the flushed cheeks of his counterpart as well.

'I...I think I've said too much,' Ryou thought to himself, breaking the eye lock. He had surprised even himself with those words that seemed to pour out of him effortlessly, as if they had been dying to come out for a while now. His characteristic shyness crept back into him, but he tried to fight it. He figured he might as well express the rest of his thoughts before Bakura came back to his senses and slapped him silly. Or worse. "Is it wrong...to care?" His voice was barely above a whisper, and he could no longer tell if those words were addressed more to himself than to his counterpart.

Unbeknownst to Ryou, Bakura's heart leaped at those words. Had it been anyone else who asked or at any other time, he would have snapped, "Yes, you idiot!" but he couldn't bring himself to do anything of the sort. His mind was still wary by nature, but he didn't honestly think that way, at least, not anymore. Not when his heart was telling him otherwise. He couldn't even understand it himself, being a stranger to human emotion, but he felt a sudden urge to...to... 'Aw, hell!' All sense went out the window as Bakura, for once, followed his instinct without careful planning, debate, or self-justification. He grabbed Ryou and held him tightly to his chest.

Ryou's eyes widened as he found half his face pressed into Bakura's shoulder. Of all things he had been expecting, this certainly wasn't one of them. Without even needing to think, he returned the embrace, his arms holding tightly onto the other's strong, firm torso. He felt his blush deepen when he realized he had never touched Bakura before, and he never knew the spirit of the ring could provide such warmth.

A flood of emotion was similarly racing through Bakura as well. He had never felt...what was it?...such _rapture_ before. Torturing others and watching blood spill couldn't even compare to what he was feeling now. If he had only known such euphoria a few millennia ago, perhaps he wouldn't have turned into the cold, sadistic, and vengeful spirit of the ring he was today. So _this_ was why he had cared so much about Ryou's opinion and thoughts? _This_ was why he wasn't able to stand seeing his light half so crushed or upset for whatever the reason? _This_ was why he had felt guilty? _This_ was why he couldn't stand Malik? It all seemed to fit. This unnamed emotion seemed to explain everything Bakura had done or felt, from the very moment he met his light counterpart.

Ryou's mind was racing with questions as well, his heartbeat matching each of his frenzied thoughts. Why was Bakura acting in such a manner? Could...could he actually feel the same way? Unlike the Tomb Robber, Ryou wasn't as naive when it came to matters of emotion. He was able to figure out that somewhere along the way, he had developed something for Bakura that was unlike anything he had ever known. It was absolute trust, but more than that...He found himself wanting to know more and more about Bakura's past, to figure out more about the spirit himself, and...to help him. He had dismissed his concern for his other half many times as something that naturally comes with sharing a body, but after that night under the stars and finding out Bakura cared enough to actually carry him to bed, Ryou could no longer ignore that emotion. He himself was bewildered by how powerfully he cared about the other's well-being. He had heard others calling this emotion "love," but that couldn't be possible...Could it?

The memory of Yami and Yugi in each other's arms flashed back in his head. No, that was different...They were two different people...He and Bakura weren't like that...But then what was this feeling?

/I-I don't understand.../ Ryou finally murmured telepathically, for his mouth was still firmly muffled by the other's shoulder.

/Who cares about trying to understand it/ Bakura responded, his voice, for once, lacking any sort of growl or harsh undertone. It was even...surprisingly tender. /Or to justify it? We both feel it, so let's just go with it./

/Mmm./ The shorter white-haired boy nodded with a smile, warm relief washing through him. In a roundabout way, Bakura had just confessed that he felt the same way...and that was more than Ryou could have ever hoped for. With a sigh, he snuggled his head into the crook of the other's neck and let his eyes drift close.

Bakura, unused to intimacy, was at a loss for words. In a flash of self-consciousness, he realized the situation he was in. It was so unlike him that he was almost embarrassed, but not quite. In fact, he was happier beyond belief. But he wouldn't give Ryou the pleasure of knowing that...not just yet anyway. /Oy, stop fidgeting! It's getting annoying.../

But Ryou didn't hear Bakura's half-hearted attempt at retaining his pride. He knew the Tomb Robber cared, despite his rough exterior and gruff behavior. Those strong arms were still embracing him, now more tightly than ever, and he could feel the other's heart race in synch with his own. Bakura's actions said it all. He cared. And that was all that mattered. (2)

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

"Yugi!" It didn't take long to locate a wild mass of spiky tri-colored hair, but boy, had Yugi gotten faster! It took Yami quite a while to catch up. By the time he finally caught the shorter boy's wrist, they were already miles away from the school, in a place Yami didn't recognize, but that didn't matter right now. Nothing matter except for the violet-eyed angel in front of him.

"Yugi?" Yami blinked in alarm when he saw crystalline tears dripping down the other's cheeks, silently but steadily. "Look at me," he brought his hand underneath Yugi's chin to guide those eyes up to meet his own. A sharp pang shot across his heart when he saw the pain in those amethyst orbs.

"Oh, Yami!" Yugi choked in a sob before collapsing into Yami's arms. "I-I f-finally f-figured out my...my feelings a-and then...and then...Ji-chan j-just had t-to—" He hiccupped between words uncontrollably.

"Shhh," Yami cooed, once again smoothing Yugi's back. "Calm down, Yugi. I can barely understand you." Gently, he guided the smaller boy to the conveniently located playground nearby and set him on a swing. He then crouched down in front of Yugi and placed his hands soothingly on his shoulders. Using a handkerchief from his pocket, he wiped away Yugi's tears, giving the smaller boy some time to catch his breath.

"Yami...I..." He finally managed to murmur.

"I know, Yugi. Don't worry about your grandpa. He was only caught up in the shock—"

"No! It's not that!" Yugi interrupted, frustrated and rather nervous all of a sudden. "Well, that _is_ a problem, but that's not what I meant..." The smaller boy trailed off as some of his natural shyness returned, and his cheeks turned pink. He lowered his head and stared at his knees for several seconds before speaking again.

Yami raised an eyebrow, confused, yet he couldn't help but be amused at the sight. The more Yugi tried to explain and confess, the darker his blush became, until he was positively crimson. At this point, Yami couldn't stifle the chuckle that slipped past his lips.

"Hey, what's so funny?" Yugi finally looked up, a small, indignant pout on his face which Yami couldn't help but smile inwardly at. It meant that the shorter boy had finally calmed down, though his cheeks were still streaked with tears.

"You," Yami replied, bringing his face nose-to-nose with Yugi's playfully. It was the most he could do to keep himself from kissing those full, pouty lips. Although he was sure Yugi wouldn't have minded, he wanted to know what was troubling the other so much. "Now what's this about?"

Yugi found himself staring into deep crimson pools. They were so close he could see his own reflection in them and so full of concern that he suddenly felt silly for making such a big deal out of confessing what he had felt so for long. Having the one he cared about the most so close gave him courage he never knew he had. Countless times, he now realized, and this time would be no exception. "...Do you remember what you said at the hospital?"

Now it was Yami's turn to blush as he recalled his words. Of course he hadn't regretted them, but he did think back on his own confession with a slight embarrassment at laying his soul out so completely. But if it was for Yugi, he would have done anything. Shaking off the pink from his cheeks, he replied with a smile. "Of course."

"Well...I...I..." Yugi's voice started to tremble as he felt a wave of emotion wash over him. Unconsciously he reached for Yami's hand and clasped it tightly. He took a deep breath. "I finally realized...that I feel the same way. I-I love you too, Yami."

For several seconds, Yami didn't dare to move, not even breathe. If not for the small, warm hand holding his own, he could have sworn that this was a dream. Sure, he had hoped beyond hope ever since that completely willing kiss Yugi had given him during the play that the smaller boy might have finally sorted out his feelings. But to actually experience it left him breathless. As he stared into amethyst depths, he saw the sincerity behind those words, and he could no longer keep himself from trembling from happiness.

"Yugi...!" He managed to choke out finally, taking the boy's other hand in his own. Still trembling, he brought both of those small, soft hands to his lips. "Are...Are you sure? You know I'm not rushing you..."

"Yes, Yami. Trust me, I've felt this way for so long...I-I just wasn't able to realize it." Yugi found himself shaking as well. He had never seen those crimson orbs so full of emotion, and he almost couldn't take the intensity of the moment. "I was too slow to realize it."

'But that's what makes you absolutely adorable...' Yami thought briefly before his heart finally tore free of its last thread of doubt. He still couldn't believe that his greatest wish had finally come true. Yet those clear violet orbs, sparkling now with what Yami could finally identify as love, told him everything. Unable to say anything else, he pulled the boy on the swing fully into his arms and held him as if he would never let go. He felt the other sigh happily as he returned the embrace and leaned his still sticky cheek against Yami's own, making the taller boy's heart skip a beat. Yami pulled back enough so he could meet Yugi's eyes once more before he tilted his head slightly and leaned in closer.

The other boy knew exactly what to expect this time. His heart was also pounding uncontrollably, blocking out all sound except that of Yami's own heartbeat. Yugi let his eyes flutter close as he leaned forward as well, and their lips met in a perfect kiss. No more feelings of doubt or uncertainty, surprise or confusion, clouded that moment. Mutual emotion swept through both interlocked boys, and time seemed to stand still even as the sun melted into the horizon.

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

Yes, I realize it was short when I had more than a year to write it, but dramatic stuff happened and I didn't want to add in too much extra.

YAY! Y/Y ISH COMPLETE! The half-confession has become a whole one because kawaii Yugi have finally figured out his feelings! Why on the swings? Um...Cardcaptor Sakura influence?

Wow...B/R galore! O.O Hey, they (sort of) got together! I just thought that if I made them kiss, it'd take away too much from the Y/Y moment. As it is, it was more descriptive, but that's only because I wrote the Y/Y part before the B/R part and then switched them around. Maybe it would have been better if Y/Y had been first and B/R later? But yes, that does mean I'll be writing more. I PROMISE!

This fic is nearing its end, and I'll be sure to finish it in a few more chapters. (Time to add POINTLESS FLUFF! Mwahahahaha...) I'm sorry there was no S/J stuff here, only a hint, but I felt it wouldn't fit in anywhere between these two big moments.

Oh, and I have nothing against Sugoroku. I thought it was important to put some conflict in there, that was all. He won't be a major obstacle against Y/Y true love though!

I'm afraid to even say it. Please r/r? No, actually, please just read! I'd be more than happy to know that some people haven't given up on checking on this fic! #-#;;;;

(1) I don't know if Sugoroku really is Yugi's maternal grandpa, (meaning he's Yugi's mother's father) but in this story, let's just say he is!

(2) And that's all you're going to get out of Bakura...for now. ;) He doesn't strike me as one of those sappy, saying "I love you" kind of people...yet.


	24. Chapter 24: Angels in Disguise

Oh, gosh, has it really been FOUR years?!?! FOUR YEARS since I last updated?!?!?! O___O This is...this is...!!! I know I must've made so many people wait, many I'm sure have given up on this story, and there's no excuse for it other than my abysmal laziness!!!! For those of you who are reading this right now, I DON"T DESERVE YOU, I REALLY DON'T!!! You've checked back after FOUR years??? I can't believe I have such loyal fans as you!!!!! ;~_~;

I SWEAR THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER!!!! Mostly because I couldn't afford not finishing it b/c I might get cold feet again and put off updating for another God-knows-how-many years...~_~ I don't know why but some night a few days ago, way past midnight, I had the urge to check back on this fic...and the urge to finish it struck me so hard that I've just been typing and brainstorming nonstop. Whatever I had had written before was long lost in my laptop crash years ago, so this was all written recently.

I know this probably isn't what many of you expected, this final chapter, but I really tried my very best to write an ending that could at least somewhat do justice to what I've written so far. It really is such a shame if fics go forever unfinished, and this one was especially close to my heart since it was my first and as, of yet, the one I've poured the most love into.

Just a warning, though, I've grown much older, so the style and even nature of the content will be quite different! (though if I wasn't older, I wouldn't have been able to add in the S/J scene that I did...I think I wasn't ready to write S/J when I was younger b/c of the nature of their...intense relationship hehe)

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters! Heh though to this day, I still wish I did...x)

Warnings: FULL-OUT, BLATANT SHOUNEN-AI Y/Y, B/R, FLUFFY FLUFFY FLUFF!!!!! Cuz it's the last chapter and there won't be anymore chances for it!!! And I've decided, yes, S/J too, definitely, but of a different degree and nature from the other two pairings...(you'll see what I mean hehehe...) Oh, and I feel silly doing it now, but for old time's sake, a bit of Anzu bashing!

"..." = speaking

'...' = thinking

/.../ = Ryou to Bakura

//...// = Bakura to Ryou

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Chapter 24

The sun had set, and cleanup of the stage was well-underway, but the auditorium of Domino High was still buzzing with excitement. The crowd had loved the play so much that they just wouldn't leave until they saw the stars and congratulated them personally. So when Yugi and Yami finally returned from the playground, they were swarmed by the audience members. Throughout all the chaos, Yugi tried to keep his head aloft, seeking out the one person he'd hoped to see most in their midst.

"Where's Grandpa?" he frowned, those violet eyes starting to prickle with worry and fear all over again.

Yami noticed this, of course, and took immediate action. "We'll find him, don't worry." He grabbed ahold of Yugi's wrist gently and led him towards backstage, pushing through the endless sea of admirers.

The warmth and reassurance of the gesture brought a smile to Yugi's lips, despite it all. He loved how Yami could always do that to him, cheer him up no matter how down he was feeling, let him escape from unpleasant feelings with even the simplest of gestures. He grabbed onto Yami's hand on his wrist with his other and gave it a thankful squeeze.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was near midnight. Yugi collapsed into bed, exhausted from the events of the day. He and Yami had combed the entire school, but in the end, they hadn't been able to find Sugoroku. Hoping he had gone home without them, they rushed back to the Game Shop, only to find it empty as well. It was as if the old man had just disappeared!

Yugi sighed, worry still gnawing at him like a painful wound. "I hope he's ok..."

Warm hands gently cupped his face, coaxing his violet eyes to meet a pair of reassuring crimson ones. "I don't think Mr. Mutou's the type who would be irrational. He knows how to take care of himself." The thumbs started stroking his cheeks, making soothing little circles on that baby-soft skin. "He probably just wanted some time to himself to think, and understandably so. For now, we should just try to take care of the Game Shop in his place, and I'm sure he'll come back soon."

"Mmm," Yugi nodded, willing back some tears that would have seeped out if those hands hadn't been there to catch them. He leaned in, seeking the security of that strong chest he had gotten to know so well, especially in the past several hours.

Yami wrapped his arms around the smaller boy in response, cradling Yugi for what felt like an eternity. He rocked gently back and forth, unconsciously adding a low, soothing hum to try to ease the other's nerves and coax him into sleep. He never wanted to let go, but he knew he had to, at least for the night. "You should get some sleep now. It's been a long day, and we could both use some rest."

Yugi felt the whisper in little pleasant reverberations of Yami's chest, which only further lulled him, for they made him feel so safe and warm and protected. He frowned when the chest withdrew and a kiss was planted on his forehead as Yami prepared to get up from his bed.

"Hey...that's not a proper goodnight kiss," he protested, holding onto Yami's sleeve.

"Ah...heh, sorry, force of habit," the crimson-eyed boy replied, leaning back down again to kiss Yugi on his full, expectant lips. It lingered longer than he had meant to, and when he pulled back, both boys were flushed pink. "Wow...I can't believe we can have those kinds of goodnight kisses now..." Yami breathed, voice barely above a whisper. It took a tremendous amount of effort to move, but he knew they both had to rest. He started getting up to head for the guest room, where he usually slept.

"Yami...do you have to sleep in your own room tonight? Could you...stay here?" The question caught the older boy off-guard, and he sputtered as he looked at the younger one in mild shock. Although it wasn't the first time they had slept in the same bed together (1), with these feelings all completely out in the open, and the new nature of their relationship, he felt it would've been a bit improper...He also didn't know if he would be able to control himself, now knowing that Yugi returned his feelings...

"Y-Yugi...I mean...isn't that a bit too...?"

Before he could say "fast," Yugi interrupted, trying to explain himself, "I mean, with Grandpa gone and only two people in the house after so long, it just feels kind of lonely being so spaced out..." Those amethyst orbs shifted down to the carpet, that little cherub face reddened, and he added, sheepishly, "And also...without you here, I might have nightmares..."

'Oh, Yugi,' the crimson-eyed boy thought, heart melting. He swatted away whatever possible perverted thoughts he may have had, beating himself up mentally for even thinking Yugi could be thinking that way. "Say no more, of course I'll keep you company tonight."

The smaller boy beamed, eyes sparkling as Yami settled back down on the bed, this time lifting the covers so he could scoot under them as well. Wrapping his arms back around his charge, he settled for kissing Yugi's hair, the only part he could reach comfortably. Yugi smiled, burying his face back into the taller one's chest as he sighed sleepily and mumbled goodnight.

Little did either boy know, all their actions were being watched, through hidden cameras, by none other than the mysterious old man who had seemingly disappeared.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Ryou, honey? I'm back from my—" Ryou's mother stopped short when she opened the door to her son's room only to find him curled up on the floor. Alarmed, she rushed over, only to breathe a sigh of relief when she saw the peaceful, content expression on his delicate features, as if he was having the best dream of his life. She smiled; it had been a long time since she saw her boy look that happy.

Her movements stirred the white-haired boy back into reality. "Mmm?" He blinked drowsily, lifting his head up.

"Ryou, dear, what happened?"

"Hmm? Ah...oh, sorry, Mom, I must've just fallen asleep here last night while..." his eyes darted around, "...reading the play script." He heard a low chortle from the Millennium Ring.

//Good save.//

/Shut up./ Ryou blushed, more from hearing Bakura's voice than from actual embarrassment. The amused tone wasn't anything new, but there was now a new, unmasked, gentler undertone to it as well, which Bakura had finally allowed himself to let show. This brought back a wave of memories of last night...how the former Tomb Robber had held him so close and securely, how he had, in his own way, confessed he felt a connection too...and the feeling of being in those strong arms...

"Are you ok, sweetie? You look rather flushed." The voice broke Ryou out of his reverie, and he scratched his head sheepishly and nodded. "I'll go make you some breakfast. You must be starving, since I didn't leave a proper dinner behind last night."

As soon as those loving maternal footsteps walked back out the door and disappeared downstairs, Bakura materialized in solid form next to the still-half-curled-up Ryou. He stared at the door after her with a strange expression on his face.

'What was that...warm but almost disgustingly gooey feeling I just felt right now?' He wondered.

As if reading his mind, Ryou explained with a slight giggle. "That...is a mother's love."

"Uck, humans. You have way too many extraneous emotions." Bakura spat with disdain, though it was less harsh than usual. Probably because he no longer fully believed what he had just said...

The smaller boy paused for just a few seconds, before daring to venture, quietly, "Oh, come on, it's not like these feelings are completely foreign to you."

Bakura looked down at his light in mild surprise, and when he saw those chocolate brown eyes smile knowingly, he couldn't help but look away and try to salvage his pride. "Tch, I...I don't know what you're talking about. That...thing..._love_...it's disgusting."

Ryou saw through it immediately, of course, amused to see the redness that colored Bakura's cheeks. Ah, such a rare sight that was, he almost had to pinch himself to believe his own eyes. His heart leapt with joy as he thought back on the night before. It all still had yet to fully sink in.

"She doesn't know about me yet, eh?" This time it was a voice and a hand that broke Ryou's thoughts. He blinked in confusion at Bakura's outstretched hand. Was he...helping him up? He apparently waited too long, for the Tomb Robber quickly retracted the limb, looking away again in embarrassment. "Just get up already, you look pathetic."

Empty harsh words, once again. Ryou couldn't suppress the giggle that escaped him as he slowly picked himself off the floor, and with just a moment's hesitation, took ahold of Bakura's hand anyway, which was now folded into his arms. Caught off guard, the taller boy whipped his head around to meet Ryou's face-to-face, and his heart skipped several beats as he got lost in those chocolate-brown pools of tender emotion.

"No, but I'll tell her soon," Ryou murmured as he grasped the other's hand in both of his own, his sweet voice washing over Bakura like soothing music. "And I'm sure she'll be fine with it. She'll be happy about it...and about us, too."

"W-What do you mean, 'us too'!?" Bakura bristled, once again feeling flustered and trying to suppress the warmth he felt rising to his head. "We're not getting married or anything," he added on with a slight growl.

Now it was Ryou's turn to blink and blush. He hadn't even dared to think that far!! And he didn't even know his dark half knew about marriage! How could he, when he was so busy in his past life with raiding tombs and plotting and pillaging? "You know about marriage?" He asked softly, still quite flustered, cheeks tinged pink.

"Not much," the Tomb Robber replied with a scoff, trying to avert his eyes from the incredibly adorable sight before him. "But it's a stupid thing anyway. Back then it was purely for procreation."

"Yeah, nowadays it's not much better. There's only a 50% success rate, and it's become more of just a formality for people wanting to spend the rest of their lives together," Ryou agreed. Then, as realization dawned on him, his cheeks flamed and he added in a voice barely above a whisper, "Isn't that close to what we'd like to, or at least I'd like to, do anyway?"

Bakura was at a complete loss for words. Internally, his heart leapt in agreement, but his mind and pride were still adjusting to this new phenomenon that they didn't allow his heart any power to express itself. The images that started racing through his head didn't help either. An eternity? With this brown-eyed angel? Who, with his sweet kindness and sense of justice, touched what he thought was an unfixable heartless mess, enough to make him rethink his ways? He would never allow himself to admit it, but if heaven on earth, or heaven in the spirit world of the Millennium Ring were possible, he couldn't ask for anything more. Tongue-tied, the only thing he could manage was to bring his hand to clasp Ryou's, which were already squeezing his other one.

That was enough for the shorter white-haired boy, and he beamed with happiness before slowly bringing himself even closer to Bakura, closing the gap between them. /This is just a formality too, a silly human invention, you'd say, but.../

And he leaned up and planted the sweetest, gentlest, feather-light kiss on Bakura's stunned lips. It was light, but overflowing with emotion, and everything Ryou felt about him flowed into the taller teen at once, boggling his senses, as if their souls had touched, and not in the way they had done within the depths of the Millennium Ring. He had never felt anything like it before, and it stirred within him a similar wave of emotions, which he felt he had to convey back to his light.

And he did just that, but in his own way, a firmer, longer, more passionate kiss that left the smaller one breathless. Before they knew it, their hands had unclasped from the other's only to snake around each other in what felt like an even impossibly tighter embrace than last night's. Bakura wasn't good with words, but he didn't need to say anything, his actions said it all. Ryou smiled, from both inside and out, knowing that he would never be alone again, that Bakura would always be there for him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The weekend passed relatively uneventfully, with Yami and Yugi busily trying to manage the Game Shop on their own. They hadn't realized just how many chores Sugoroku had to put up with on a daily basis, especially during the rush hours of customers. Keeping busy helped them keep their minds off worrying too much about the old man's whereabouts, but so did each other's company.

In the same smitten haze that strikes all couples in their newly-formed days, Yugi and Yami passed those days, bathed in the glow of each other's warmth. Just knowing that the other felt the same way made all other troubles seem so light and distant, softening all problems. Everything else paled in comparison to the euphoria that feelings of love were returned. Yugi hummed as he swept the floor, Yami whistled as he wiped the windows, and the two cooked many a meal together, feeding and tending to each other amidst laughs and giggles. They hardly even noticed, or cared, that they hadn't left the Game Shop even once all weekend. They even nearly forgot to do their homework for Monday.

"School? What does school matter?" Yugi had asked frivolously. "I just want to be with you...who needs an education!?"

"Now, now, Yugi, an education is very important," Yami lightly reprimanded. "I don't want to do it either, but this pile of homework just won't do itself. And how would your grandpa feel if you didn't finish high school?"

From the shadows, Sugoroku felt his heart tug, touched that he was still so often mentioned and that Yami cared so much to try to take care of Yugi the way the old man would've wanted. His mind flashed back to Yami's sincere words at the end of the play, when Sugoroku was still sputtering with anger: "if you will let me, I promise I'll take good care of him."

He rubbed his jaw, which still stung from Jounouchi's rock-hard punch, and the blond's words echoed in his head. _"__Think about your grandson, why don'tcha?!"_

'Oh, Yugi,' the gray-haired man thought, glancing at some old photos in a family album. 'Who knew I'd have to give you up so soon?' He looked at a picture of his daughter, and then at Yugi, chuckling inwardly at the features they shared, namely those innocent violet eyes. Those tricky eyes...they made him think that they were too young to take care of themselves, made him forget their actual ages. And his daughter hadn't had bad judgment; she had married a wonderful man who had taken care of her just as he had promised.

So why was Sugoroku so hesitant about trusting Yami, who had the same vows and same sincere expression as his daughter's husband? And was now backing up his promises with actions, and perhaps even doing a better job of taking care of Yugi than Sugoroku himself did? And Yugi was so happy, to the point that he didn't have a breakdown over his grandfather's absence and could even forget about his worry at times in his bliss?

He sighed. 'Why am I so against it anyway? Just because they're both male? This is the modern world, things like that nowadays aren't so uncommon...' He knew he shouldn't be so narrow-minded; after all, he now realized that he didn't know, and in fact, couldn't even imagine, a more caring partner for his beloved grandson.

Still, he wasn't ready to confront the two just yet...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Monday morning. Birds chirped cheerfully to greet the start of the new day, and the new week, but there was one person who was not enthusiastic about this moment. As the first rays of sunlight illuminated the massive garden of the Kaiba mansion, Jounouchi stood on the front porch, fidgeting in anticipation. He realized he was early; school didn't start for over an hour. But for whatever the reason, he couldn't sleep anymore, and figured he might as well just get this over with sooner.

"That bastard's probably up already anyway, doing all sorts of oh-so-important morning errands..." Jou mumbled to himself, not realizing the door had opened already.

"And a lovely morning to you too," A husky, slightly sleep-edged voice jolted Jou out of his thoughts. "Trying to convince yourself you're not a disturbance, eh? Well, you are." The still-disheveled, unkempt hair, the bleary eyes, and the silky blue nightrobe all pointed to one thing—Seto Kaiba had indeed been rudely awakened from his slumber.

"Jeez, don't you have a butler to answer your door if you aren't ready yet!?" Jounouchi burst out, caught completely off-guard from seeing the CEO in such a...well, vulnerable and domestic position. He had never seen Kaiba in anything other than well-guarded, well-put-together, prim and proper outfits. To think that the man wore pajamas, or even slept, was bizarre to Jou. It made the CEO seem more...human, and he did NOT, COULD not afford to see the brunette as more human.

"Hn," Kaiba chuckled. "Most mornings I do, but I was expecting you today." Before Jou could think about how..._thoughtful_ that sounded, Kaiba added. "After all, my butlers shouldn't soil their precious hands dealing with a lowly little puppy like you."

"Grrrrah I've told you a million times, I'm not a stupid puppy!!!!"

"At least for this morning, you are," Kaiba retorted, his blue eyes twinkling. "Better get used to it, Pup. Now put on your leash." The CEO brought out from behind his back a bright red leash attached to a collar, along with a pair of extra-furry dog ears and clip-on tail.

"W-wait! School doesn't start for another hour! I don't have to do that _now_!!" Jou protested, eyes wide as he stared at the horrid dog ears, which were so fluffy and curly that he swore they were made from a poodle's fur. "The deal was just to escort you to school this week like a sight-dog for the blind, on all fours! You didn't mention I'd have to freaking turn myself into a POODLE in public for this!!!"

"I couldn't possibly have written down all the stipulations on that little sheet of paper," Kaiba's lips curled into a smirk, the sleepiness fully gone from his face. This was just too much fun, sleep could wait for another time.

Jou's hands, which had been trembling with frustration ever since that smug billionaire first opened his mouth, finally couldn't help themselves. They grabbed Kaiba's silky robe collar, the force sending the CEO back further into the mansion, Jou stepping in in suit. "You tricked me, you bastard!!"

"Heh. I figured you'd react like this," Kaiba slowly raised his own hands to cover Jou's at his collarbone. "So I've prepared an alternative." He smoothly unplucked Jou's fingers from the satiny material, calmly wrenching himself free and grinned down into the blond's raging, honey-colored eyes. "You could humiliate yourself in public...or just be my private slave for this week."

Jou's scowl deepened. "God, that's such a ripoff of Otogi's idea (2)!! He's already made me do that, and in a dog suit, no less! Can't you think of anything more original?"

Kaiba was unfazed. If anything, his grin grew even wider. "Oh, so you think I think like Dice Boy, eh?" His hands still held Jou's in a vice-like grip, and the challenging tone combined with the helplessness of his hands being immobilized made Jou falter. Unconsciously he found himself backing away, trying to get back out the door, only to feel something solid against his back. He inwardly cursed the Kaiba mansion technology that automatically closed doors. Now he was trapped. "Well trust me, my demands will be anything BUT ripoffs..." The brunette loomed over Jou now, piercing blue eyes swirling with undefinable emotion.

Jou gulped. How could envisioning possible torturous situations really be that exciting for the brunette? Was the CEO just cold-blooded and liked to make others suffer, or was it because it was _him_? The thought sent a shiver down Jounouchi's back, and what bothered him most about it was that it was not entirely unpleasant.

"Y-You're a sicko..." he finally spat out, though he was near breathless.

"Hn? I didn't quite catch that." Kaiba smirked, leaning in even closer, until he could practically touch Jou's ear with his lips. "Care to repeat that?" he whispered, his hot breath tickling the blond's ear.

"Bastard..." Jounouchi's knees almost buckled as he suddenly felt light-headed from the closeness. He wondered why he wasn't pushing this said bastard away or at least giving him a good hard kick in the nuts for violating so many personal space boundaries. Gratefulness or feelings of indebtedness for what Kaiba had done to help Yugi and Yami weren't even on his mind. His heart was racing, clouding his thoughts, and the fact that he could now feel the satiny material of the silk pressing against his body wasn't helping.

"Or you don't have to do any of that. You can just..." The CEO's voice trailed off, or at least in Jou's mind, it did. Before his thoughts all disintegrated in that cloud of mush, a certain cheerleader's words, as much as he hated to admit it, crept into them briefly.

'I can't believe it, but that b*tch was actually right about something...' (3)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As the last rays of the sun disappeared into the horizon, Yugi and Yami finally made it back to the Game Shop, breathing a sigh of relief as they clicked open the door. Since they had to go to school, they had had to close the shop while they were gone, but tried to make up for lost business by going around the neighborhood trying to sell items by ordering. It was a good thing Yami's motorcycle was fixed again, making the trip doable before dinnertime, and it wasn't to say it was an unpleasant chore. After that, that meant more of holding onto Yami as they rode on the winds, and this time Yugi could hold on as tightly as he wanted without any more doubts, hesitation, or confusion. He could just peacefully rest his head against that strong, muscled back, breathing in the familiar smell of leather and spice, in pure contentment, despite the howling of the wind all around him.

However, it was pretty exhausting nonetheless, so the boys were in no mood to cook dinner again for themselves. With visions of pizza delivery swimming in their heads, they were quite surprised to smell the rich aroma of beef stew when they opened the door.

It only took a second for them to register what that meant.

"GRANDPA!!!" Yugi exclaimed, rushing into the kitchen, his eyes starting to well up with tears. He stopped short of the gray-haired man, though, trying to refrain himself from giving him a hug, though, for he still wasn't sure how the other felt. Had he forgiven him? Accepted them? Why else would he be back here and cooking dinner for them?

Relief washed over him when his grandfather turned his head to look at him, with calm, kind brown eyes. "Why so shocked, my boy? You two better go wash up, I'm serving dinner now!"

"Mmm," Yugi nodded, speechless to say anything else, as he went back to tell Yami. Both boys were thoroughly confused and quite nervous as they seated themselves at the table and Sugoroku ladled out stew to them. Their stomachs overpowered their minds, though, and they couldn't help but dig in immediately.

Sugoroku watched them in silence, sipping a cup of tea patiently.

"Aren't you going to eat too...Mr. Mutou?" Yami inquired hesitantly, noticing the old man's odd behavior.

Sugoroku shook his head in response. "Call me 'Grandpa,' I insist. And no, I made that especially for you two. Notice anything different about this beef stew?"

Both boys paused mid-bite to look down into their bowls. Then it dawned on them, there were thick noodles in there and the sauce was slightly sweet!

"That's right, I put in 'longevity' noodles, and made it sweeter than usual, in hopes that your sweet love will also be eternal." (4)

At this unexpected statement, both teens nearly choked on their food. In unison, they collected themselves and stared wide-eyed at the gray-haired man, faces matching each other in color.

Sugoroku chuckled at the sight. "I've had some time to myself to collect my head over the past few days, and first off, I'd like to say I'm sorry for my explosion that night."

"Oh, Grandpa, that wasn't your fault!" Yugi interrupted, eyes watering. "I-I know t-this is strange and out of the bounds of social norms, it wasn't any of your fault, you raised me perfectly! I...it...this just happens sometimes..."

"People can't help who they fall in love with," the old man nodded sagely. "I was just shocked, I had no right to be angry. You know me and my traditional ways. I should stop living in the past century," he said with a laugh. "And I suppose I should be thankful, for my grandson has found such a trustworthy, compassionate, and loving partner," his eyes shot a warm look at Yami, who faltered with flattered surprise before a small smile graced his lips.

"I will look after Yugi with my life," he promised, sincerity shining in those ruby red eyes.

"You already have been, all along," Sugoroku smiled back. "I can see that. I've seen that all this time, yet I tried to ignore it for as long as possible. I guess I just didn't want my grandson to leave so soon."

"Grandpa, I'm not going anywhere!" The smaller spiky-haired boy protested, cheeks flushing again, this time from embarrassment at how big a deal his grandpa was making this out to be. Well, it _was_ a big deal, but to hear it sound like he was being sent off to marry was just too much for his sweet, innocent mind to handle.

"Haha, guess I had a little too much time to myself to think," Sugoroku quickly caught himself. He reached a hand out to ruffle Yugi's hair, amused at the little one's innocence. He no longer needed to worry, though, for he was now sure Yami would slowly teach his grandson everything the world had to offer. It was sad that he had to relinquish some of that responsibility, but he had to admit, he probably would not be able to do a better job than Yami. "Well, this old man is tired and needs to sleep in his own bed after all this time. I'll let you two enjoy the rest of your stew. Please eat it all; it contains my blessings."

As the two boys murmured thanks, Sugoroku gave them both one final, fond pat on the head before retiring upstairs, leaving the couple in awestruck, touched silence.

They finished their meal in light-hearted gossip, now that a heavy weight had been lifted from their consciences. At some point Yugi commented on how Jounouchi seemed really out of it today, and they had fun speculating on possible reasons. If only they had paid attention to Kaiba, who also had a chink in his usual guarded facade, could they have been able to put two and two together.

Everyone else was still buzzing from the play's success, some with pride, some with fangirlish squeals, and some with shock at the unexpected ending. The two spiky-haired boys had definitely felt more than one pair of eyes stare at them, but they didn't care, they were too absorbed in the warmth and happiness of each other to let others' opinions affect them. Yami inwardly smiled, proud that Yugi had learned to toughen up emotionally in this aspect as well, and of course overjoyed that he could have such an effect on the shorter teen.

Anzu, as usual, was still as annoying as ever, but Yami had given up on even acknowledging her presence, which of course, only infuriated her even more. What a joyous surprise (and relief!) when in the middle of some class, Kaiba's henchmen came and took her away, kicking and screaming, telling her she had been specially chosen for some special new Kaiba technology "testing." Essentially she would be missing the rest of the school year to be a guinea pig for God-knows-what kind of contraptions KaibaCorp had in the works. And they just got kookier (and more dangerous) with each new invention...But no one felt any pity for the overzealous cheerleader. In fact, a whole bunch of people cheered once she was gone, and some even threw an impromptu party. Kaiba snickered as she was carried away, his revenge complete, and the victory was made even sweeter by the pair of grateful honey-colored eyes that locked with his icy blue ones in that moment of triumph. Once again, this passed over the two tri-color-haired boys' heads. They were too busy inwardly cheering as well.

Ryou had also joined them at lunch, and although both boys had tensed up as he approached, all that tension melted away by the time the meal was over. The white-haired teen explained everything to them, apologizing profusely for his dark's actions and all the trouble they had caused them, but reassuring them that it won't be happening again. When they asked why, Ryou wasn't quite able to say, his pale face turning a lovely shade of pink as his eyes averted downwards shyly. They pushed the question no further, but they were smiling inside, hoping the best of the two of them.

Bakura couldn't bear to be there during the conversation; he snarled that he wasn't quite ready for that level of "humanness" yet, but he did take over Ryou's body briefly to exchange a gruff greeting. He was trying his hardest, for his light's sake, but it was still hard to let go of all resentment towards the crimson-eyed teen, and it did take quite a lot of willpower to restrain himself from breaking out into violence again, as his instincts were accustomed to. But still, Ryou trusted him, and had no doubt that he would slowly, but surely learn to control his instincts rather than let them control him. And that shining faith further spurred Bakura to try his best.

Yami, thanks to his remnants of magic still inside him, could sense the interactions between the two, and he couldn't help but smile for the rest of the meal.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Later, the two were collapsed in semi-food-coma on the couch. They had followed the old man's word, finishing the huge pot of stew down to the last drop.

"I'm soooo stuffed," Yugi mumbled, clutching his stomach, but with a bright smile on his face.

"I've heard night air helps digestion," Yami suggested. "Would you like to go lie down outside?"

"Do I ever!" the smaller boy chirped cheerfully, violet eyes sparkling. He practically jumped off the couch, grabbed the other's hand, and dragged him out into the backyard, Yami allowing it all with a fond half-smile on his face.

"Wait, we need to find a sheet or something to lie on first." The taller boy stopped before entering the yard and looked around the room.

"No we don't, silly, there's grass!" Yugi didn't miss a beat in his excited rush out. The cool, refreshing night air whipped his face as he tumbled down onto the grassy field, rolling around in bliss. In his innocent enjoyment, he didn't notice the pair of intense crimson eyes studying his every move. Yami walked onto the grass himself to see the other better, a tender smile playing at his lips. Oh how he loved this boy so much...everything he did, everything he said, every little quirk about him, made his heart swell with so much joy he thought he would suffocate from the intensity of it all. He couldn't believe that they had gotten to where they were now, that Yugi actually returned his feelings in full, something he had only dared dream about but never thought would actually turn into reality. All the other problems...his still-unsolved past, what had happened with his foster 'parents...' (5) and all the other complications his true identity could bring in the future, for Bakura was just one of them...all seemed so small and insignificant compared to the violet-eyed wonder before him.

"Whatcha still standing for, Yami? Come on in, the grass is fine!" A giggle was all the warning the past Pharaoh got before he was tackled to the ground, the momentum sending the two of them rolling off to the side, until they were close to the edge of the yard. Suddenly the bush beside them exploded with light, in the form of little yellowish balls that started swarming all around them. It illuminated both their faces to each other, enough so that they could see the emotions swirling in each other's eyes, which stopped both their breathing for a few seconds as they drowned in the other's pools, still entwined in each other's arms.

"Fireflies..." Yami finally mumbled in awe. He had rarely seen them before, for he hardly ever explored nature or did other frivolous things such as this. It was so refreshing to just let go of inhibitions and allow his inner child to roam freely, especially after all those years of trying to be a mature, model son for his 'parents.' Yet another miracle that had been brought about all thanks to Yugi...

The other boy was in a similar state of introspection. As he looked into those deep red depths, memories of everything he had shared with the other flashed through his mind. Every interaction, he could replay down to the finest detail, that was just how touched he was by the presence of this crimson-eyed savior. The one who saved him countless times, helped him in so many ways, gave him a life and friends, even...In fact, he dared say he wasn't even alive until Yami came into his life. His angel...all along...except he didn't know it at the time. Somewhere along the way he realized, and the angel's disguise fell apart, and he beat himself up many a time for not seeing it sooner, for those soulful ruby red eyes said so much. He only hoped that his own amethyst ones could convey just as much. There were so many things he wanted to say to Yami...yet the words just wouldn't come out at that moment.

"U-Um..." he began, not knowing where to start, or how to start, and not really wanting to break the magical silence that had formed between them as they lied there amongst the soft, glowing balls.

"Mm?" Yami smiled gently, twining his fingers with Yugi's and bringing the other's soft hand up to his lips.

"Yami...did I ever tell you...you're an angel in disguise?"

The taller teen couldn't help but chuckle at these somewhat cheesy words. "Heh, did you get that from a movie, Yugi?"

"I'm serious!" the little one pouted, face puffing up in indignation. He reached into his pocket and brought it up to the fireflies' light so Yami could see.

Surprise filled those crimson orbs. "Isn't this...?"

"Yeah. It's the painting I saw at the museum way back when I was still hiding from Ushio. (6) I immediately felt a strong connection to it then..." Yugi looked up from the slightly crumpled sketch directly into Yami's eyes. "...and I now know why."

He didn't need to say it, Yami could see it not just from those soft violet eyes, but also even from the strokes of the pencil. Art was subjective, so every attempted reproduction of it carried a piece of the reproducer's soul in it, and it was no coincidence that the angel Yugi had sketched looked slightly different from the original painting's...with spikier hair, more masculine features...

He was at a loss for words. Captivated, absolutely spell-bound by those amethyst orbs. He had always known he had helped Yugi, but the extent to which he impacted the little one's life, he had had no idea...and his heart almost burst from the sheer love, gratitude, and many other un-nameable emotions that lay before him, and when they mingled with his own, formed a pulsating cloud that lifted them up in the air, where they could no longer feel the ticklish grass beneath them or the cool, balmy breeze, or hear the low buzz of the fireflies.

It was in that cloudy, blissful haze that their lips met. By now, though they had lost count of how many times this had happened, it never felt any less magical. Every time was just as breath-taking as the previous one, although each one was uniquely tinged with different emotions.

"Oh Yugi..." Yami murmured, lips still close enough that as they moved, they brushed against the other's. "I'm not your angel...you're mine." (7)

A flattered blush crept over the smaller boy's face now, his previous pleasant pink hue deepening to an embarrassed red. He shook his head "no" vehemently, which only made Yami laugh as his bangs tickled the other's forehead. 'How am I your angel? I didn't help you that much...not as much as you've helped me...' his eyes seemed to ask.

'You don't know how wrong you are. You're my angel, Yugi, because...' Gentle ruby eyes responded back. 'With you here, I don't need anything else. I don't need to know about my past life, or even my real parents or connection to Egypt. That can't compare to my life with you right now.'

Yugi was so captivated that he almost didn't hear the words that came out next in a bare whisper.

"I'd give up my past, whatever's left of my present, anything and everything...I just know that you are the only 'present' that I care about..."

Those soft, spicy lips covered his again, and the sentence seemed to be completed wordlessly, magically. '...and I want you in my future, always.'

How long that kiss lasted, neither of them knew. Time felt like a distant thing as well, and it faded into the background along with the surroundings. When they finally broke apart for air, Yugi's eyes were glistening, and overwhelmed by emotion, he buried his face in the crook of Yami's neck.

"But what about your home?" he whispered. "And your parents? I know you didn't get along well with them, but you grew up with them..."

"Home is where you are, silly." Yami replied, stroking the other's spiky, but soft hair. That's the power you have over me, the power you've given me. And that's why you're my angel..." Yami paused, then added on with a devillish smirk. "...in disguise."

"Hey, are you making fun of me?!" Yugi harumphed, lifting his head back up to glare at Yami. Amused crimson orbs twinkled back at him, and he mock-punched the other in the chest a few times. He immediately regretted starting a war, for Yami then flipped him over and started tickling him in retaliation.

Before they knew it, they were rolling around in the grass again, until the tickle war finally exhausted both of them into silence. Yugi triumphantly noted that he ended up on top, but before he could mentally celebrate for too long, he yelped, feeling Yami's arms encircle his waist and hold him close. He felt the other's heartbeat more keenly than ever, as it thumped from adrenaline, and the fact that it didn't slow down as they continued to lie there together caused his own heartbeat to quicken as well, until their two hearts were beating in synch.

He sighed into the the other's chest, feeling the first pangs of sleepiness now, but he absolutely did not want to move. He wanted that moment to last, to stay like that, warm and protected in Yami's embrace, forever. Little did he know Yami was thinking the same thing, that having Yugi there was his source of hope, of energy, of joy, a light that protected him, one that he could not fathom living without. "Yami...I don't want to move..." he mumbled.

"We don't have to. It's a relatively warm night," Yami then took note of the yellow balls that had followed them over to the other side of the yard, where their tickle war had taken them. "And besides, the fireflies seem to want us to stay."

So there the two boys lied, amidst the magical glow of the insects of love, underneath the twinkling stars that held promise of all the wonderful things to come in the future. Now that they had, like guardian angels, completed each other's lives by meeting and changed the courses of each other's lives forever, they were finally at peace, knowing that whatever obstacles may come in the future, they would always be there for one another.

THE END

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

...Wow. Well, I guess that's really it then! I never thought I'd see those words...me being the huge procrastinator and never really finishing anything big in my entire life so far ^^;; I realized why I put off this chapter for so long...because I was scared of rereading what I wrote before so many years ago to make sure I didn't have huge loopholes/gaps, b/c once a story ends, there's nothing else you can add to correct things...and in fact, it HAS been pretty strange rereading it all now in its entirety. I almost cringe at some parts of my old writing style in those earlier chapters...~_~

And I must say, this fic, in my opinion, really IS NOT WORTH all the love, support, and reviews it's gotten in these past, what 7 years?! It's far from perfect...I guess mainly b/c it was written over such a huge time period...so much that it may as well have been written by many different people! The chapters are so different, I mean...

Yet those of you who are reading now have understood that, accepted it, and still supported me all this way regardless!! No amount of words can express how thankful I am to all of you and how much I appreciate everything!! Some of you have even sent me personal e-mails!! Yours, Lily Maxwell (The Dark Angel), especially, touched me, so here's a shoutout to you and your unbelievably kind words!!! And the rest of you, too, I'm so sorry but my YXW e-mail has been shut down since a while ago, I don't know when, b/c of inactivity, so I probably didn't get to read some e-mails, but thank you so much for sending them!!! I only wish I could retrieve them somehow...;_; Stupid hotmail account!!! You can contact me at the one I use more often (and thus hasn't been deactivated): . I'll put it in my profile too, just in case stupid doesn't allow me to upload e-mail accounts.

They also shut down my site too...the geocities one with the cute Yami and Yugi chibis!! ;_; And all those pictures...lost!!! If any of you have any of the fanart from my site saved by any chance, could you please let me know? I lost everything in my laptop crash...

Heh yea...I'm in college now. Actually, I'm about to enter my last year of college!! O_o I feel so old...especially when I look at the rest of the community, but I'm not leaving just yet, and I realized that I don't ever have to. After this period of inactivity, and then forcing myself to write again, I was so surprised at the powerful, even therapeutic effects of writing...For those several nights I spent writing this final chapter, I felt like I was 14 again, back at the height of my YGO obsession, and it amazed me how I got engrossed in the words on the page so much that it would always be 3 or 4 AM before I noticed the time and kicked myself upstairs to get to bed (it's 4 AM now ahh!!). I wouldn't consider myself obsessed with YGO anymore, but I've discovered that it still holds a special place in my heart.

So hopefully, as new obsessions come, I'll be inspired to write again. Fanfiction really is a wonderful thing, as I'm sure you all know and will agree, and those of you who haven't tried writing their own fics yet, I really think you should give it a try!! "An Angel in Disguise" has been so much fun, although sometimes frustrating, to write, and because it's helped me bond with others and share in the YGO obsession, it's an experience I'll never, EVER forget.

THANK YOU AGAIN, EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!! I hope you enjoyed this fic and that your love for Yu-Gi-Oh will, like mine, in some way, last forever!!!!

Please r/r!

(1) Yesh, see chapter 11 ^_^ Yugi couldn't sleep because he was still traumatized from Bakura attacking him...but of course Yami holding him tight made it all better ^^

(2) For those of you who don't know, in the series, Otogi once made Jounouchi wear a dog suit and be his personal slave after beating him in a game of Dungeon Dice Monsters...until Yami then saved him by beating Otogi at his own game, that is ^-^

(3) See the last chapter if you're confused. I know it's been a while ^^;; But Anzu basically said she could see S/J from a mile away xP And yes, b*tch must be censored. B/c only Kaiba is worthy enough to remove the censoring for his title of bastard xD

(4) In Chinese culture, noodles actually do represent longevity, and people always ate them on their birthdays in the hopes of living a long life. I altered that a bit and spun this erm, custom up, sorry if it's corny!! ^^;; I have no idea what Japanese food culture is typically like, gomen!!

(5) See chapter 7 if you're confused, when Yami found out that the distant people he'd been living with weren't really his parents, but had just found him floating in the Nile as a baby. But they weren't even decent enough people to raise him or treat him as a real son.

(6) See chapter 3. Called "An Angel's Blessing," it's a typical painting of an angel helping out a human. Yes, I know there's a ridiculous amount of previous chapter references, but hey I had to at least try to tie up loose ends ^^;; But please let me know if there are still any huge gaping holes left! A finished fic needs to be, well, holeless.

(7) Just out of curiosity...in your opinion, if you had to pick just one way around, who is whose angel? ^_~


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